First Born Son
by laura-maeve
Summary: William Black is the first born son of Alpha, Jacob Black. As next in line for the throne, it's up to him to prove himself worthy of the title of Alpha Male. Little does he know, Will has an enemy, one who's out for revenge. With this enemy in his territory, he takes it upon himself to cut down the threat. The question is can he get over his teenage hormones long enough to succeed?
1. Chapter 1

**Holy bajeebles! Here we are! Will's story! I am so excited it's kind of ridiculous. I have been waiting for this since his baby story. And, if everything goes right, these stories _will _be longer than Jacob and Nessie's. I'm pretty sure the kids will have individual antagonists and plots, but some things will tie in together? I think. Honestly, these stories are just hitting me a mile a minute, so I'm not going to know everything way in advance. I get to be surprised like you guys! Woo-hoo!**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**Four Years after ****_The Pregnancy Chronicles: The Twins_**

**April**

**RPOV**

A loud thump on the kitchen table had me turning around. Maddox was banging his head on the table over a piece of paper.

I walked over to him and patted his neck. "Stop. You're going to give yourself a concussion."

He stopped, forehead pressed to the table. "Good. Maybe I'll get out of this stupid math exam."

Sitting down beside him, I pulled the paper out from under his head. "We've been over this. You know all this stuff, sweetie. Every formula. You're overthinking it."

"He's not thinking at all," Ash said as he sat down across from us with a bowl of cereal.

Maddox lifted his head long enough to give his twin a dark look before banging his head against the table again.

"Ash," I chided.

He shrugged. "It's true. I'm telling you, Mom, he has ADD."

Maddox lifted his fist, but before he could perform the gesture, I slapped his hand down. "Stop it. Both of you. Ash, you could be a little more supportive. Your brother helped you with your science."

"Yeah," Maddox sneered.

Ash sighed. "Fine." He held out his hand for the paper. "Let me see, Mom." When I handed it to him and he looked it over, he scoffed, tossing the paper back. "Pfft, dude, you tutor the girls in this stuff. How can you not remember it two seconds later at the desk?"

"_Because_ of the girls." Jules skipped into the kitchen, her messenger bag strapped across her body. She walked over to Maddox and hugged him, kissing his cheek. "Just keep your eye on the goal, bro. If you don't, _allll _those girls will move onto sophomore year without you. I'm cheering for you. You got this." Then she turned to me, kissing my cheek. "Sorry, don't have time for breakfast. Piper and Ava are waiting for me. A little studying before exams. Love you." Then she was off.

"Hey!" Ash called. "I don't get a goodbye, see ya later?"

On her way out the door, she rolled her eyes but kissed the air in his direction. "Love you, too, bro!"

He shook his head and went back to his breakfast. "Really, Dox. You do know this stuff. You just have to concentrate. Clear your mind like Uncle Jasper taught us to do during a fight. Don't panic, which is what you do. This is your last exam. You don't have to be the first one to finish. Use all the time you have. And for God's sake, use your calculator. They were created for a reason."

"Deep breaths," I said, rubbing his back as he sat up. "It's okay, Maddox. Everybody has a weak subject. Math is yours. But you still have a chance. This isn't like you, to give up before you've even gotten there."

Before he could answer, Will joined us, sitting beside Ash. He was grinning, his black hair flopping into his eyes. "Did I just hear our dear mother say that Maddox has given up? Accepted defeat? Over a _math test_?" He leaned the chair back on two legs, put his booted feet on the table, and took a bite of an apple.

Despite my grin, I reached across the table to whack his shin. "Get your feet off the table."

His grin widened but he did as he was told. "Sorry, Mom."

No, he wasn't. He did it all the time when he thought I wasn't looking.

Maddox gave him an exasperated look. "Yeah, says Mr. Perfect."

Will stood up and rounded the table to drape himself over his brother. "Takes one to know one, little brother. Like Jules said, you got this." He shook him. "Come on, you and Ash come hang out with me and Brayden before exams. It'll relax you to get out of the house, joke around a little." When Maddox didn't move, Will hauled him out of his chair. "Enough moping and low self-esteem. Ash, help me out a little, would ya?"

Sighing, Ash emptied his bowl and joined his brothers. He helped Will drag Maddox to the door. With it being exam week, they didn't need paper or books, but Ash did stop at his backpack to grab some pencils and a calculator.

"Bye, Mom!" they yelled.

"Bye! Good luck! Love you!"

"Love you, too!"

Once the door was closed, I let out a long breath, sat back in my chair, and enjoyed the silence of the house.

**WillPOV**

Ah, the last day of junior year. After this, I'll be a senior. Finally!

But more important than me was Dox, who was still sighing heavily as he walked between me and Ash.

I punched his arm. "Seriously, man. What is wrong with you?"

"I don't want to repeat freshman year."

Ash and I shared a look behind his back.

"_If _you fail, it'll be the only exam you fail. You can make it up in summer school and be a sophomore next year. Done and done."

He gave me a look.

I held up my hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm just giving you options. Better than retaking freshman year all over. It's just one class."

"He has a point, Dox. Another option would be making it up next year in your free period. Instead of study hall, retake the math. Sophomore math is geometry. Very different than foundations. But that doesn't matter. You're not going to fail. You know this stuff. So quit your bitching."

I laughed. "Where did you hear that?" As the oldest of us kids, I felt responsible for the others.

Ash shrugged. "Mom said it to Dad once. Kind of stuck with me."

"Yeah, well, don't let them hear you talk like that. Mom will give you that 'watch your language' speech and Dad will be 'listen to your mother'."

Maddox smirked at me. "Speaking from experience?"

I laughed again with the memory. "Dad got the speech that day, too."

They both laughed and it made me feel like I'd helped them in some way. Maddox was always too hard on himself. Aside from being the jock, he wanted to achieve academic success as well. It was hard with all the practices to study for tests, quizzes, and mid-terms. In his freshman year, it was impressive. I didn't do the whole sports thing for school and I'd still had issues adjusting to high school. Of course, my siblings had still been in home school with our grandparents, aunts, and uncles. When Jules had made it to the high school a year behind me, my grades had improved. My family wasn't like a lot of families. For the most part, I, William Edward Black, got along very well with my younger siblings. We were all close. Any secrets kept from each other were rare because we knew each other too well and our parents had taught us to trust one another. And we did. I'd give my life for any of them, and I knew they'd do the same for me.

The rez high school was buzzing with excitement. Most kids only had one or two more exams for the day. The rest of the day would be spent signing yearbooks and making plans for "summer". My best friend, Brayden, had his last exam of his senior year today. It would be weird not seeing him in the halls in August, but at least the lucky bastard was free. My dad, Jacob Black, had promised him that he could join the pack after he graduated. Brayden had phased just before Christmas and was itching to run with the pack on patrols. Dad had made it an order that the Quileute pack kids had to finish high school, phase or no phase, before they could run with the pack. That included his own kids. I hadn't phased yet, but I knew that the growth spurts had started. I had to buy new jeans every other week and muscles were popping up faster than my fight training could possibly be producing. Dad always had eyes on me, just in case I was somewhere too crowded or too close to my sister and brothers when I decided to phase. My cousin, Henry, stayed close enough to intervene if needed.

"Will!"

"Hi, Will."

"Yo, Black!"

"Hey, Maddox."

As we walked across campus, various greetings echoed around. Most of them were guys, some girls. Mostly the girls just clustered together to giggle and stare. I knew why Maddox was popular. He was the best at the sports, the jock of the family. But me? I still couldn't figure that one out. Maybe it was because I was just nice to everyone. Mom always said that I'd never met a stranger in my life. Ash, as usual, received the fewest greetings, but he seemed okay with that, staying behind me and Dox until he could escape into the main building. Before he dashed off, though, he handed Dox some pencils and the calculator.

"Hey, Pretty Boy!"

Chuckling and shaking my head, I turned around. "Whaddup, Snake Eyes?" I answered, clapping hands with Brayden. I called him "Snake Eyes" because his eyes turned amber when he phased instead of staying their bright green. For some reason, the amber reminded me of a snake. He called me "Pretty Boy" because I was the Alpha's first born son. In the pack, that meant I was next to be alpha. My siblings and I were treated like royalty.

Now, I noticed a lot of girls staring at him, which was usual now that he'd phased. He'd gone through his growth spurts and popped muscles like some people popped pills. The girls practically drooled on their cleavage.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

I nodded toward Maddox, who also clapped hands with Brayden. "Pep talk."

Brayden frowned at my brother. "The great Maddox Black needed a pep talk? Over what? How _not _to be awesome?"

"That's what I told him. But no, it was over a math test. Can you believe it?"

My best friend shook his head. "I hate to break this to you, but you're the one who tutored my sister."

Maddox laughed. "Yeah, I know. Stupid nerves, I guess."

Brayden flung an arm around Dox's neck. "Just go through it like a tutoring sesh. If a girl was sitting in front of you asking how to work the problem, what would you tell her? See? Easy."

And that was why Brayden and I were best friends. He treated my siblings like they were his and supported them as much as I did. And his sister, Piper, was best friends with my sister. That made her my sibling, too. We were tight.

Maddox nodded. "That's not a bad idea. Thanks, Bray."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for. You learn a few things after being stuck in this hell hole for four years." He turned to me. "You going to the bonfire tonight?"

"I thought that was just for the seniors?" Maddox asked.

Brayden waved it away but I said, "It's supposed to be but really anybody could show up. And yeah, I'll be there. Can't speak for Jules or the twins though."

"Speaking of your sister," Brayden said, stretching his neck, looking over the crowd, "where is she?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. She met up with Ava and Piper. Probably in the library, studying. Jules's exam is in biology, her worst subject. It would make sense that she'd want to cram beforehand."

"True. Ask her to come tonight."

"Is Piper going?"

"Yeah."

"Then she'll be there," Maddox and I answered at the same time.

Brayden blinked at us. Maddox and I could be scarily alike without trying.

I shrugged. He shook his head and went for the doors to the building. The first bell was about to ring and Brayden hated being late for anything.

Maddox frowned as he followed us. "What's up with you and Jules anyway?" There was just a touch of protectiveness in his tone. The males of the Black family had come to the realization that it was a permanent, involuntary reflex to have that tone when talking to other people about the females of the family, especially our mother and sister. Even Dad had it.

Brayden smirked at him over his shoulder. "Dude, a person is allowed to have more than one best friend. In fact, it's my philosophy that a person should have one male best friend and one female."

"You don't have any philosophies," I said, following him inside where got more greetings.

Brayden laughed and shrugged. "Well, if I did, that would be one of them."

Dox and I shared a look and a head shake. It was common knowledge that Brayden had a thing for Jules. We were just trying to get him to admit it. Of course, he wasn't going to, even if he imprinted on her. He'd want to wait to say something until she phased. Dad had said that something was up with him, but apparently, my best friend was exceptionally good at hiding his thoughts from the wolf telepathy. Probably a side effect of being a hybrid. He didn't have to give up his secrets.

"William!"

Knowing that voice, I groaned internally before plastering a grin on my face and turned around. "Principal Channing, good morning."

She smiled kindly, a little bit of a flush touching her cheekbones. For an older woman, not that she was really that much older than me, she was attractive with straight black hair, russet skin, and copper-colored eyes behind black-rimmed glasses. Today she was in a crisp black suit that I, as a guy, thought hugged her curves quite nicely. "Would you mind helping me out with something, if you have the time?"

I shrugged. "Sure. My exam isn't until third period."

"Fantastic. Meet me in my office after you say bye to your friends." She nodded to Brayden and Maddox before turning to go back into her office.

Brayden chuckled and punched me in the arm before draping himself over my shoulders. "Go help the hot boss lady out, Pretty Boy."

Flushing, I shrugged him off and pushed him. "Oh, shut up." I looked to my brother, gripping his shoulder. "Hey, remember what Ash and Jules said. You got this, man. You know it all. Don't panic."

He nodded. "Got it."

I clapped the side of his neck before clapping hands with Brayden. As I walked into the main office, I mentally prepared myself for whatever the principal needed. Everyone knew she had a thing for me, and really it wasn't all that gross. She was in her mid-twenties. Perfectly acceptable age. So, I always tried to stick up for her when people would make fun of her for crushing on a student. It's not like she'd ever tried anything. She was always perfectly polite and never said anything over the line.

"Hey, Mrs. Davis," I said as I passed the front desk. The woman didn't like most people, but she was soft where the Black boys were concerned. The whole rez treated us well. Probably because of my dad. He was the alpha. The rez knew about the pack and who he was.

Looking up, no doubt ready to scowl, she changed her mind and smiled. "Hi, Will." She was older, in her late forties, early fifties. Her short brown hair had some greying wisps here and there. "Are you ready for your exam?"

I shrugged. "As ready as I'll ever be. I hate chemistry. Probably take an easier science next year."

"Environmental science is a good one."

Grinning, I said, "Great. I think that's the one I signed up for."

"Well, good luck!" she called as I went for the principal's door.

"Come in."

Going into her office was like a really pleasant surprise. The office wasn't cold and uninviting. She'd moved in to stay. Though it was small, she'd somehow gotten floor to ceiling bookshelves for two of the walls. The third wall was filing cabinets. And the wall with the window was the backdrop for her sturdy desk.

Walking in, I was ready for stacks of paper to file or scan, or entering stuff into her computer. Or hell, fixing her computer. Grampa Edward had taught me a few things about the machines and I'd used my knowledge to help out on some occasions. What I hadn't expected was the girl sitting across from the desk. All I could see of her was her dark blonde hair with dark auburn highlights braided down her back and the sleeves of her white shirt.

"Ah, Mr. Black." Principal Channing stood up, buttoning her suit jacket.

"You needed me for something?" I asked, closing the door.

She grinned. "Yes, yes. Mr. Black, I'd like you to meet a new student who will be joining you in your senior year."

I frowned, thinking that it was the last day of school. Why was she here now? And then the girl stood up and faced me. I forgot the stupid question. Of course she should be here on the last day. Who the hell would mind that? My throat went dry, body tight and itchy.

"Mr. Black, this is Hunter Jamison. Hunter, William Black."

Clearing my throat, I held my hand out. "Will. Everyone calls me Will."

She smiled, further tightening my skin, and gripped my hand firmly. Her skin was soft against my palm. "Well, everyone calls me Hunter, William." She had a faint accent, but I couldn't place from where. But I was sure I'd heard it before.

She definitely wasn't like normal girls. The girls around here wouldn't or couldn't meet my eyes, but Hunter did with her green-hazel eyes. She had no idea who I was or the reason people treated me the way they did. It was oddly refreshing.

And then the smile slipped. "Um, my hand?"

"What?"

She looked down at our clasped hands.

"Oh! God, I'm sorry." Laughing nervously, I hastily let go of her hand. "Sorry."

Laughing, she took her hand back. "It's alright. I'll take it as a compliment."

"Mr. Black-,"

"Will," I interrupted. "Please. Mr. Black is my dad. Will or William."

She ducked her head. "Alright. William, Ms. Jamison will start in the fall, but I invited her here so that maybe she could get a little tour so she's not so lost when the year starts."

I looked at Hunter. She smiled. "Of course. I'd be happy to show her around."

"Thank you. And good luck on your exams."

"Thanks." I looked at Hunter again. "Shall we?"

"Sure." She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. She would definitely get along with Jules for her taste in bags. Jules loved the messenger bag types.

Unfortunately, the first bell rang just as we were walking out of the office. Everybody started scurrying like roaches in sunlight to get to their final homeroom of the year. As I held the door open for Hunter, I could _feel _the stares and glares of the other girls. Hunter didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you," she said as I closed the door behind her.

As we walked down the hall, the crowd sort of parted for us. They did this every day that I and my siblings walked around. I nodded and clapped hands with guys as we passed by. Most of them, I didn't really know. But it was friendly interaction so I took it.

"So," I said to Hunter. "The place really isn't that big, and since we don't have our schedules yet, I figure we can just walk around. Let you get a feel for things."

She shrugged. "Sounds good to me. I'm sure I'll forget it all anyway." She bumped her shoulder into my arm. "Maybe you can be my guide again. Get you out of the first day."

I laughed. "Deal. So where are you coming from?"

Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she said, "Up north."

"North? As in Canada north?"

"Yes," she said with a laugh.

"Forgive me, but you don't look like…I mean, you're not…Geez."

She laughed again. It was a nice laugh. "No, I'm not Quileute, but my adoptive parents were. And my uncle. He wanted to move back, but he died before we could. He left me everything, including a house here."

Looking over at her, I couldn't imagine losing my entire family. "I'm sorry. About your uncle."

"Thank you. I miss him and it's hard to stay in that house, but it's what he wanted."

"Don't you have to be a certain age to inherit a house, though?"

"I'm eighteen. My parents started me late in school."

"That makes sense. I'll be eighteen in August." As we walked, I showed her the different levels of the school, the different buildings. Explained about some of the teachers. Who to avoid. Who to go to for tutoring. The restrooms and study hall. She lit up when I showed her the small library. So she liked books. She would definitely get along with Jules and my mother.

"You seem awfully popular. Should I really be walking around with you?"

Chuckling, I opened a door to the outside for her. She ducked under my arm. "Not by choice. And you noticed all the girls, too, huh?"

"Not exactly subtle. So you don't like the popularity." Statement, not question.

I scoffed. "Now, I didn't say that."

That made her laugh again. She moved a picnic table and climbed up on it. We'd finished the tour and were now waiting out second period. My next exam was in about fifteen minutes. I sat down on the bench below her, stretching out my absurdly long legs and resting my elbows back on the table.

"I don't know," I continued. "Sometimes, the popularity is nice. It's just…all the girls."

"What? Don't swing that way?" she teased.

I gave her a look. "Please. Of course I do. But they watch my every move."

"So you're the hot popular jock. The celebrity."

In shock, I looked over at her. "Hot, huh?"

Those pretty green eyes rolled. "I have eyes, and I'm a woman. _Anyway_..."

I chuckled. "Nah, I'm not the jock. That's my brother, Maddox."

"You have a brother?"

"Two brothers and a sister, whom by the way you would get along with very well."

"Who's the oldest?"

I raised my hand. "The brothers are the babies. Twins."

"Wow. Twins?"

"Yep. The only ways to tell them apart when they're not talking are the color of their eyes and their build. Maddox has dark brown eyes. Ash has black. Out of the two, Ash is the baby and the introvert. Maddox is the jock, so he's a bit stockier."

"And your sister?"

"Jules. Julene but we call her Jules. Out of the four of us, she looks like our mom. The boys look like Dad."

Hunter leaned forward, putting her elbows on her jean-clad knees. She laced her fingers. "I've always been fascinated by big families, especially siblings."

"None of your own?"

Her expression turned dark and distant. "No. Or at least, none that I'm aware of. Remember, I was adopted."

My gut clenched. "Right. Sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

Her expression smoothed out, softening as she smiled. "It's alright. It's not you I'm mad at."

Whether it was the fact that she was fresh blood or that I was genuinely attracted to her, all I wanted to do was hug her, to wipe that sad look from her face. What must it be like to be alone, not knowing if you have any brothers or sisters out in the world? If I were ever separated from Jules or the twins, I'd fight until my dying breath to get back to them, to protect them. Especially if something happened to Mom and Dad.

Reaching over, I gripped her hand. "Maybe someday you could find out. There's bound to be a trail."

Surprised, she looked down at our hands. I expected her to pull away from a perfect stranger, but she just squeezed my fingers. "You think so?"

"Long lost siblings find each other all the time. If you do have some out there, there's always a chance that they're looking for you, too."

The bell rang while she smiled down at me. Standing up, I used our clasped hands to help her down. She lost her balance and started falling against me. I steadied her with an arm around her waist.

"Thanks. I'm so freaking clumsy that I'm actually amazed I made it up there in the first place." She adjusted her purse on her shoulder.

"So what are you going to do for the summer? Hang around or what?"

Clearly, she was surprised I had asked. "Oh, well, um, I was thinking that I might travel down California for a little while. I should probably stay and get to know the town, but I want some sun before I'm stuck here." She playfully punched my arm. "I'm not like all of you with the natural tans. I need the sun."

Grinning at her, I was amazed at how easy it was to talk to her. "Have fun and be careful, okay? You never know what kind of crazies are out there. Plus all the sharks."

Her smile was bright in her tanned skin. "Well, thanks for the tour, the in-depth conversation, and catching me when I swooned."

I chuckled. "Not a problem. My parents raised me right. Always treat a lady with respect."

"Well, sir," she said in a thick southern accent. "I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, however, you will be late for your exam."

Shaking my head, I mock bowed. "Yes, ma'am."

When I straightened up again, she went up on her toes and kissed my cheek. "Good luck," she whispered before turning away and heading for the parking lot.

I just stood there in the fresh drizzle and watched her until she disappeared. Man, I really liked those jeans. And the fact that her shirt didn't fall past her back pockets.

Someone shouted right before something hit me in the shoulder. Turning around, I saw Maddox lowering his arm. There was a football at my feet in the grass. He and Brayden walked over to me.

Maddox bent down for the football. "Were you just checking out her butt?"

I shifted on my feet, a sure sign of guilt. "No."

Brayden laughed. "You were so checking out her ass. Finally! William Black has found a woman to turn his head."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up. You act like a player but you never go through with it. Could it be because of a certain sister of mine?"

He scowled and lost the smile but couldn't say anything because said sister popped up beside him. She was flushed, breathing hard. Her copper and black hair was damp but frizzled by the drizzle. Ash was right behind her, glaring at all the guys who watched her pass. Even though Maddox was the more built of the two, Ash still had some muscle on him from the make-shift football teams we had going with our and Uncle Walker's packs. And his glare was scarier because of the black eyes. But Jules never noticed the guys, focused on the task in her head.

"Hey, guys," she puffed out. She looked at Maddox. "How'd you do?"

He grinned. "He gave us a formula sheet. Easiest test of my life."

Brayden, Jules, and I all shared a look.

Brayden shook his head. "Man, they always go easy on the freshmen." He looked to Jules, his face softening. "What about you? How was biology?"

She winced. "Sucked so hard, but I think I managed to pass."

He grinned at her. "Hey, passing is passing." He held out his hand and she slapped it, grinning.

"True that."

Barely refraining from gagging, I said, "I guess I'm the last one of this group to have an exam. How'd you do Ash?"

He gave me a dry look. "Literature? Are you kidding? I could take that in my sleep."

"Good point. Brayden?"

"History. I hate history."

Jules looked up at him through her tangled curls. "But did you pass? Are you going to walk?"

Brayden wrapped an arm around her. "I said I hated history, not that I failed it, sweetheart."

Piper and Ava joined us then.

"Bro, get off my best friend," Piper said.

Ava laughed. "Good luck with that, Pipe. You'd have better luck on your math exam than getting him away from Jules."

Brayden quickly let go of my sister as we all laughed. Piper looked a lot like her brother. Jet black hair and green eyes. She was short like Aunt Shelby, but other than that, they could have been twins. Ava looked like me and the others since she was our blood cousin through Aunt Rachel, Dad's older sister. Except for Jules's aqua eyes. They'd apparently come from our paternal grandmother who had died when Dad was a kid. She was the only one in the family to have them.

The warning bell for next class rang out. Everybody yelled good luck to me as I took off for my class away from them.

I hated chemistry, but like Brayden, just because I hated it didn't mean I was going to fail.

**JulesPOV**

After school let out for the half day, we all headed for the diner and the really big booth in the corner. I was squished between Brayden and Will. Whenever we went out together to eat, we all ordered different things and ate from each other's plates. I was chewing on a mozzarella stick while the boys fought about football this weekend.

"Hey, Jules!" a waiter yelled. He'd just finished his junior year with my brother.

"Hey, Rory. Just coming in?"

He nodded, tying his apron. "Yeah, you coming to the party tonight?"

That grabbed the attention of every boy at our table. As one, they stopped talking and looked up at the poor kid. He swallowed hard under their scrutiny.

I smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I'll be there. Maybe I'll see you tonight."

Swallowing hard again, he nodded a bit frantically. "Yeah, sure." He motioned behind him in jerky gestures. "I'm just gonna…go."

"Good idea, Rory-boy," Brayden muttered under his breath as Rory scurried back behind the bar.

"Mhm," Will agreed.

I elbowed both of them in the ribs at the same time. "No need to be rude, boys."

"We weren't being rude," Will said, rubbing his right side.

Brayden rubbed his left. "Yeah. It's called protective. There's a difference."

I glared at him. "_You _scare the hell out of people and you know it. The pack's not exactly a secret anymore."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I do like the fear factor."

"Psycho," I said popping the last bit of cheesestick into my mouth.

"Speaking of phasing," Piper said around her sandwich. "When do you think _you_ will?" She was looking at Will. Dropping the sandwich, she wiped her hands on the napkin. "I mean, you have to be next. Every time I see you it's like I need a step ladder just to keep from getting a crick in my neck talking to you."

He shrugged. "I have no idea. I just know that this growing needs to stop. Mom and Dad have already spent a shit-ton of money buying me jeans. I can't stand it anymore. At least Aunt Alice knows where to take used clothes."

"No," I chimed in. "She's holding onto all your old stuff for Ash and Maddox."

They looked over at me. "What?" Ash asked.

I shrugged. "Oh come on. He barely wore any of that. It's brand new stuff that he only wore a couple times."

Ash blinked at me. "They really think we'll all phase?"

Will took a drink of water. "We _are_ the kids of the alpha."

"Will," Ash said, "neither Aunt Rachel nor Aunt Becca phased, and they were the daughters of the alpha. Grampa Billy would have been the alpha if he'd phased. And according to Dad, he got the alpha gene on both sides. So, that means that not all of us could phase. Maybe it'll just be you unless we're needed at some point."

Ava shrugged. "I may not phase either. Ash is right; my mom didn't phase. It's a toss-up for me because Dad did."

Stubbornly, Will shook his head. "We all phase. Period."

I rubbed his shoulder. "It's not something you can control. All of us phasing might happen with more vampires around but we haven't gotten a visit in a while. Uncle Walker's pack makes them uneasy."

He looked over at me. My big brother had always been my rock. He'd taken care of me when I was little, and we'd both taken care of the twins. But Will had always felt responsible for all three of us, still watching over me. Sickness was a rarity in our family, but when the humanity peeked through, it was bad. Every time I had had the flu, Will had stayed in the bed with me even though he was as vulnerable as I was. Eventually, the twins had always joined him. It had been the same if Will or the twins had been sick. We always stayed together. If he were to phase and we didn't follow, he would stop phasing permanently so that he could age with us, if that was even possible with our half-vampire mother.

"Are you saying you don't want to phase?"

Giving him a look, I said, "I never said that. I'm saying that yes, you might be the future alpha, but you can't use 'the voice' to make us phase with you. It doesn't work that way."

"Then it looks like we'll just have to get our vampire relatives to visit, now doesn't it?"

Maddox and Ash laughed as I shook my head. "You stubborn oaf. Now tell us about the new girl. Brayden and Dox said her ass had you hypnotized."

He glared at his best friend and then our brother, and then flushed. "It was a nice ass, okay? I'm a guy, so sue me."

Ava threw a roll at him. "Ugh, guys are pigs."

"No, we're dogs," Brayden said waggling his eyebrows.

Piper punched him.

"Hey," Maddox said. "You can't tell us that if a _totally hot guy _walks by you that you don't do a double take."

While everyone looked to the two girls for an answer, I saw Ash take a deep breath, roll his eyes, and shake his head before digging into his pasta. There was something off about my baby brother. Every time relationship stuff was mentioned, he sort of retracted into himself. I knew he wasn't into the dating scene. Out of all of us, he actually loved school. He and I shared a love of books.

Under the table, I reached out a foot to touch what I hoped was his shin. It was. He looked up and found me looking at him, eyebrows raised, question in my eyes. He smiled slightly and shook his head. I narrowed my eyes. He rolled his. The last look I gave him was to let him know that I didn't believe him before going back to the conversation.

"You're attractive," Piper said to Maddox. "But I don't ogle you every time you walk by."

"Yeah, because we grew up together. You're like my sister. Next excuse."

Exasperated, she threw her hands up. My brother had that effect on people. "Okay, I'm a straight woman. _Of course _I'm going to look. But unlike those stupid twits at school, I don't giggle obnoxiously and stare where everyone can see me. It's called subtlety. Something that guys and bimbos don't have."

Brayden looked at his sister with fake hurt expression. "Did you just class me with the bimbos?"

She looked up at him affectionately. "You're the exception. We all know you flirt like crazy, but it's just a bunch of smoke that you hide behind." She looked at me and winked.

I rolled my eyes and flushed. Brayden looked over at me. It was a popular gossip that Brayden had a crush on me, but he'd never shown me anything but friendship and brotherly love. What wasn't common knowledge was that I had always secretly crushed on him. If he'd ever had that toward me, it had to have been when we were younger and then had grown out of it. I had recently grown into mine. Even he didn't know how I felt. That was one way in which pack kids differed from the regular kids. We didn't act on crushes, especially not now that most of us were nearing phasing age and the possibility of imprinting was waiting on the other side. Didn't want to break any hearts.

But there was something different about him now that he'd phased. Brayden had been the strong silent type before. And then, Uncle Seth had pissed him off to the point that he'd run out of the house and phased. Will had told me that it wasn't anything to get mad over, just that Uncle Seth had said that Brayden had done well getting a B in one of his hard honors classes. It had been the case of Brayden taking it out of context, thinking that his dad was calling him stupid. Which wasn't the case at all. But it had set him to boiling anyway. So bad that he phased. When we'd gotten back from Christmas break, he was outspoken, friendly, and very popular. My guess was that he was taking the attention away from Will just in case the phasing process sped up at all. It was something Brayden would do for my brother.

"You okay?" he asked, still staring at me while everyone else just kept fighting about staring at the opposite sex.

I nodded. "Yeah. Just…zoning out, I guess."

He grinned, making my stomach flutter despite the food. "Understandable. You always stress yourself out at tests and exams. Letting it all go after they're done must be tiring."

I shrugged. "Kind of. I still stress about how I did."

He leaned over, bumping me with his massive shoulder. "Well, you should stop. You'll wrinkle that pretty face."

I couldn't help the smile at the compliment, but I brushed it off, bumping my shoulder into him. "You should stop talking to me like that. Someone will take off with the crush thing again."

And he brushed that off. "Nah, I don't care what they say. You know I do it to help keep the guys off you. If they think _I'm _into you, they're going to back off because you're right. They are scared of me. And they'll be scared of Will when he phases. I'll be out of a job."

"Nah," I said, echoing him. "Will can't pretend to be my boyfriend. And if neither Ava nor Piper are close, I can't pretend to have a lesbian lover."

He spit his drink back into his cup. "You do that?" he spluttered.

Laughing, I patted his back and handed him a napkin. "Not yet. It's a contingency plan. But like I said, they won't always be around and Will can't pretend to be my boyfriend." I shivered. "He's my brother and that's just weird to think about. So I _do_ need you. Not out of a job until I get mated."

A flicker of emotion flashed across his face but I couldn't quite grasp it before he closed it down and grinned at me. "God have mercy on that guy."

"Why?"

His eyebrows met his hairline. "You don't realize how protective we are, do you? Your dad, Will, the twins, and me? And let's not get started on Piper. She's as feisty as Mom."

"Too true." I looked up at him. "You're protective of me?"

His eyes widened and shook his head disbelief. "It's like you don't even know me. Have you not been paying attention all these years?"

I laughed. "Apparently not."

Beside me, Will groaned.

"What?" Maddox asked.

"We gotta go. Mom wants to talk about our exams. Dad, too. He's home early from the shop." He took his wallet from his jeans and flagged down our waitress, who was in my class. "Here," he said, handing her a hundred dollar bill. "Keep the change for tip."

She blinked at it as she took it slowly. "Are you sure?"

He grinned at her. "C'mon, Mattie. You have to be used to this by now. Just take it."

She did as he said and stuffed it into her apron. We never waited for the bill. Will always took care of it. He apprenticed with Dad at the shop.

"You are so very odd, William Black."

We all scooted out and when he stood in front of her, he gave her a grin that melted her in her socks. "You have no idea." Then he winked at her. "See you at the party."

As we walked out, I stayed next to him. "You do know that she thinks she has a shot with you, right? I mean you just mentally felt her up."

Startled, he turned to stare at me. "Who have you been hanging out with to talk like that? And I have no idea what you're talking about. I mean, I don't know who I'm going to imprint on if I phase. Might as well be nice to every girl."

I shook my head. "You are so close to starting a war. And after you do imprint and leave the rest in the dust, we're going to need a million Rehab for Heartbreak centers around here."

"Those don't even exist."

I scoffed. "I'm fairly sure that I could start one up and it actually make money."

He laughed and pushed me. "Whatever. Don't be such a pain."

I stumbled from the push and a moment later, a large grey wolf was at my side, holding me up. "Hey, Henry. Thanks for the help. You should bite him for good measure."

Henry chuckled in his wolf way as he walked beside me. He had taken it upon himself to start watching out for us after he'd phased. Someone had probably put the idea in his head. And although it was within his right to petition Dad for the role of Alpha since he was Aunt Rebecca's son, he had said that he would leave the name of Alpha to the Black name as long as he was allowed to provide "security" for us. Dad had let him set up his own patrols of young wolves to stay close. Brayden was one of them, but since he was Will's best friend, it didn't need to be an order. We were all close. He was family. As was Ava, Colton, Linley, and Dane. They were all our blood cousins and all had a right to name of Alpha. All of them, including me and twins, looked to Will to take it. Though he was kind of in the middle of all the age groups, he made sure everyone was taken care of, just like Dad did. He felt the same responsibilities that Dad carried, and he wanted them. A leader who wanted to lead was the best kind.

"Aw, Henry wouldn't bite me. He knows he'd be in for a world of hurt after I phase."

Henry leaned his big body around mine as we walked and playfully snapped at Will. Brayden, on the other side of the wolf, playfully jumped him. "Hey, you mess with him, you mess with me. Cousin or no."

They tussled up the road. Eventually, we reached the turn off for Ava. She said bye and took off to play with her younger siblings who were in middle school. Something had been happening with Brayden and Henry because Brayden took off.

Piper just shook her head at her brother. "Dorks." Moving closer to me, she looked around me to Will. "So you never really told us about the new girl."

He shrugged, flushing a bit. Man, he actually liked her. "She's interesting. From Canada. Or at least that's where she moved from. She said that her adoptive parents had been Quileute and after whatever happened to them happened, she went to live with her adoptive uncle. They were in the process of moving here when he died."

"Oh wow. That must be hard. She's all alone?" I asked.

He nodded, kicking at a rock in the road.

"What is she doing this summer?"

"She said she was going to travel California, get some sun before coming back."

"Good idea," Piper said. "Can't have pasty white people here. People will think they're ghosts or vampires."

"Piper!" I chided.

"What?" she said innocently. "Anyway, why doesn't she go up to Forks?"

"Her uncle left her a house here on the rez and she's eighteen so it's legally hers."

Piper looked skeptical. I felt the same way. "Which house?"

He shrugged. "I didn't ask."

She and I shared a look. But before we could say anything else, Brayden popped out of the woods and started right for us. Henry emerged a moment later and tackled him, barreling through us.

"Oof!" Brayden puffed as he was taken to the pavement. "Get off me, you big poodle."

We all laughed as Henry licked Brayden's face before coming back to walk with us. We cut through the woods and up the hill to get to our houses. With the direction we chose to go, Brayden and Piper were dropped off first. Will and I walked around the lake with Henry trailing behind. He would go into the woods as soon as we were on the porch. No doubt he'd run off to find his mate, Leila. According to Mom and Dad, they'd been together forever, sure they would imprint before they'd ever phased. Henry had phased and imprinted first. But he was six years older than Leila, so he'd had to wait to be with her. She'd been ten when he'd first phased. Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily had told him that he could marry/mate her when she turned eighteen. They were newly mated and couldn't keep their hands off each other.

When we made it to the porch, I turned and waved. He took off into the woods. Typical. Will unlocked the door and in we went. Mom and Dad were sitting at the kitchen table being gooey. Will turned to me and rolled his eyes.

Dad chuckled. "You two should be used to this by now."

"Yeah, yeah," Will said as we headed for the table to sit with them. "You love Mom and Mom loves you. We get it."

Mom and Dad looked at each other, back to Will, and shook their heads. "No you don't," Dad said. "You won't understand until you imprint."

Holding my emotions about that in check, I sat down on Dad's right. Will sat next to Mom, kissing her cheek. Dad leaned over to kiss mine.

"Where are the twins?" Mom asked.

It was then that I noticed that they weren't with us. Pfft. Some big sister I was.

Will chuckled. "I think Maddox got caught up at the diner. And you know Ash. He stays with Dox."

Mom shook her head, her bronze curls flying. "I swear, that boy."

"It's not his fault," I said, picking at a napkin. "You two are the ones who gave him the alpha gene and the good looks. To all of us, actually."

Dad chuckled. "So you're saying it's our fault the girls love your brother?"

"Brother_s_," I corrected. "And absolutely."

Dad grinned at me.

"Oh and Will showed the new girl around the school today. Apparently he likes her _ass_ets."

Both Mom and Will choked on their drinks. Dad just looked at me proudly and then to Will. "That's my baby girl," he said.

"Well?" Mom asked Will.

Will rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Well, what? I showed her around school and then we talked a little. There was nothing involving _assets_." He said the last pointedly at me.

I leaned forward on my elbows. "So you're telling me that your eyes weren't wandering when she walked away and Maddox actually managed to _hit_ you with the football?" I grinned. "And yes, I saw that."

Dad made a hissing sound. "Ooo, she got you."

Will gave Dad a "duh" look. "Well you taught her."

"Of course, I did. I had to." He leaned on his elbows, mirroring me. "Now, why are you avoiding talking about exams?" He looked between the two of us.

"We're not avoiding," Will said defensively.

"Yeah, Dad. We had to get all the juicy tidbits out of the way."

"Oh, and your daughter has a mouth like a sailor," my brother said to both Mom and Dad.

Mouth hanging open, I glared at him while Mom and Dad stared at me. "Says the example," I tossed back.

They looked to him. He growled in defeat.

"Anyway," I said, gaining back my bouncy attitude. "Pretty sure I passed biology."

Dad raised his eyebrows. "Pretty sure?"

I shrugged. "You taught me never to lie. I'd be lying if I enthusiastically said I passed. So, I'm pretty sure."

"Aced chemistry," Will announced when they turned to him.

Mom took another drink of water. "What about Maddox and Ash?"

"Dox said the teacher gave them a formula sheet. He said it was the easiest exam of his life. And Ash had lit. We all know he passed with flying colors." Will got up to fill his glass again but with blood this time instead of water. When he caught me staring at the glass before he sat down, he asked, "You want some?"

I nodded. "Yes, please." Ever since we were little, we'd craved blood. Maddox and Ash, too. Will set a glass down in front of me. Where Mom and the others preferred it warm, we liked it ice cold from the fridge. "Thanks."

The front door opened a second later and the twins spilled in.

"Well," Ash was saying. "If you wouldn't flirt with them, they'd leave you alone. You have no right to complain."

"How come you never have girl problems? We look exactly alike."

Ash sighed as he went into the kitchen, grabbed a couple of glasses, and then filled them with blood. "Are you being dense on purpose?" he asked, setting one glass in front of his twin before coming around to sit with me. He gave me a look that said "can I kill him now?" I chuckled and rubbed his arm.

"Seriously, though," Dox said. "The girls don't bother you."

Mom had mercy on Ash. She leaned forward and reached over to pat Maddox's leg. "Honey, your brother isn't as…flamboyant…as you are. Where you're the extrovert, he's the introvert, keeping his head down. The girls always notice the ones full of energy first." She looked at Ash. "No offense, sweetie."

He shrugged. "None taken."

"It's the quiet ones you gotta watch out for anyway," Dad said, raising is glass to Ash.

Ash grinned and nodded. The only people who could make him grin like that were all in this room. He seemed so much more alive when he was just chilling with us. But when we were out in public, he closed up and smiled occasionally.

"So when's the party?" Mom asked.

"Later tonight," Will said. "Bonfire out on the cliffs as usual."

"Are all of you going?" She asked it nonchalantly, but the four of us shared an amused look. The 'rents wanted together time.

Dad chuckled as he saw us bounce the look across the table.

I suppressed a grin. "Yes, Mom. We're all going. You and Dad can have the house."

Ash laughed. "We can crash elsewhere if need be."

Leaning back, Dad took his keys out of his pocket and threw them to Will. "Take the truck just in case. They cleared a new dirt road out there."

Mom was blushing. "We can't hide anything, can we?" she asked Dad.

Dox patted her shoulder. "Hey, it worked when we were little, but we're in high school and have had sex ed. Don't think that we actually like knowing what you and Dad do when we're not here. A warning is so much better than walking in on you. I mean, you're both attractive people, hence the reason the four of us look good and I can't shake the ladies, but honestly Mom, I don't wanna see that. I will die happy if I never do."

She laughed. "How do you do that?"

"What? Be awesome? You and Dad can take the credit. I don't mind."

Mom looked at Dad, grinning, and shook her head. "We have some interesting kids, Jacob."

He chuckled. "I'm beginning to understand that."

"What I meant was," Mom said, "how do you diffuse embarrassing situations?"

He shrugged. "I have no clue. Maybe it's my flamboyance-ness."

"That is not a word," Ash and I said together.

Dox looked over at us. "It is in my book."

Mom and Dad laughed.

"Go get ready for your party," Mom said. "Do I need to fix you dinner before you go out? I can never remember."

"No," Will said as we all got up from the table to put our empty cups in the sink. "They'll have food there. All the seniors cook out. We'll be alright."

We all trooped upstairs. I grabbed Ash before he went into the room he shared with Maddox and pulled him into my room.

"What?" he asked. "Everything okay?"

I closed my door part of the way. "I am. Are you? From earlier?" Even though he was a freshman, now sophomore, he was half a head taller than me and I wasn't short at 5'7".

He smiled. "Yeah, big sister. I'm fine. Promise. Or I will be if you don't wear something slutty. I don't want to have to keep an eye on you all night."

I laughed, but the humor didn't reach my eyes. "You, Will, and Dox will watch over me even if I were dressed in a parka and baggy sweatpants."

"True. Still the only skin I wanna see are your arms and face. Got it?"

I loved it when he tried to boss me. He sounded like Dad and Will. I held up a salute. "Scout's honor."

"Uh-huh," he muttered.

Going on my toes, I kissed his cheek. "Nothing provocative," I warned him back. "I don't wanna have to be peeling girls off my baby brother. I'll do it, too."

He shook his head. "With Maddox and Will around, I highly doubt you need to worry about me."

With that cryptic remark, he vanished and closed my door behind him. Sighing in frustration at the male species, I went to find an outfit to wear for the night's festivities.

* * *

**So what do we think? Do we like the kids? I love them. Ash is a little shy with me so he's giving me problems, but I'm sure he and I will come to some sort of agreement. Please let me know what you think! Love all y'all! Yes, I live in the south. Y'all is in my vocab. xoxoxoxoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Woohoo! Chapter 2! On a roll. I love the fresh characters. This chapter was a bit emotional for me. But we get a peek at Brayden and Piper. And this chapter did not happen the way I thought it would. Hmmm...Anywhozzle.**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**BraydenPOV**

This was the fifth time I pounded on the door. "Woman, hurry up!"

"Would you shut up?!" Piper screamed back. "I can't concentrate!"

"On what? Are you digging up a cure for cancer as you empty your closet on the floor? Geez."

Something thumped against the door.

"Hey!" I snapped. "No throwing things."

Finally the door opened. My sister spun on her toes. "There. Is _this _okay?"

How in the hell could she think a micro-mini and a low-plunging halter were okay? Plus the thigh-high boots she was holding? I gave her raised eyebrows in a "what do you think?" sort of way.

"Ugh!" she screamed, slamming the door. "You freaking fashion Nazi!"

"Fashion?" I scoffed. "You're wearing two napkins. One with a slit and a knot in it to hold your boobs. What is wrong with a pair of tight jeans and a tank?"

"Sure! I should just put a paper bag over my head while I'm at it."

Groaning, I leaned back against the wall to the side of the door. "It could be worse. Dad could be doing the judging."

She stayed quiet.

"That's what I thought," I whispered.

With my new and improved senses, I could hear her huffing and puffing through her clothes. I could smell the different perfumes on her dresser.

But what I didn't hear was my dad, Seth Clearwater, coming up the steps. "What could be worse if I was judging? And why are we slamming doors?" he asked.

I grinned and jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "Her sense of 'fashion'. And I keep saying no."

He raised his eyebrows. "Ah. Yeah, I agree. Let me guess, if I'd seen some of the things, she wouldn't be leaving the house?"

"Exactly."

He patted my shoulder with a smirk. "Take care of her tonight."

"Of course."

He put his back to the wall beside me. "When are you going to tell her, Bray?"

I looked over at him sharply. "Not tonight. That's for sure."

"Brayden, trust me. You can't not tell her. She needs to know."

Roughly, my head fell back to bang on the wall. "She's not ready. Not yet."

"That sounds like someone else I know."

I looked over at him. "And?"

"He was wrong." He met my eyes with a knowing stare before clapping my shoulder. "Just think about it, alright? It's not just about you." And then he was gone back downstairs.

Before I had time to think about it, Piper's door opened again. I just stared in disbelief. A dark purple tank, tight jeans, and the thigh-high boots, plus a leather jacket in her hands.

She looked down at herself. "What? I like this outfit. Don't tell me you don't approve."

Blinking at her, I couldn't honestly believe she was that slow. "Do you want the paper bag to go with it?" I asked pointedly.

She frowned just before realization dawned. "Oh stuff it." Shutting her light off and closing the door, she grabbed my arm and hauled me to the stairs.

When we got down onto the first floor, Dad quirked an eyebrow from the bar along the counter.

I shook my head. "Don't. This is the best one."

Mom came up the stairs from their bedroom. "Ooo, those boots are cute. I forgot you had those."

Piper grinned, moving her legs and flashing the shoes. "I know, right? Since Bray's driving tonight, I figured I could wear them."

"Go for it, baby girl."

Opening my mouth as if to say something, Dad caught my eye and shook his head. "Don't. Just don't."

Mom blinked as if only just realizing we were there. "What?" she asked Dad.

He smiled around his mug. "Nothing, baby. Guy stuff."

"Uh-huh," she mumbled. "Lyin' to me." And then without warning, she threw herself on me. "Oh, my baby's graduating high school!"

Piper rolled her eyes.

"Mom," I said, "I'm not graduating tonight. It's just a party. One I've gone to since I was a freshman."

She pulled back, wiping her eyes. "What? I can't celebrate my oldest graduating?"

The tears hurt my heart and pulled at the momma's boy inside me. "Well, yeah," I stuttered. "But just wait to have an aneurysm until the day I walk. Then you can cry and have heart failure."

Dad chuckled but Mom threw him a dark look over her shoulder. He shut up.

She sighed and sniffled. "Fine. I'll wait to have my hysterics until the day of."

I grinned, wiping the left over tears with my thumb. "Thanks. That day, you can cry and slobber all over me. All day long."

Her lips quivered. "Promise?"

"Mom," I laughed, pulling her into my arms. She was tiny compared to me. The top of her head barely brushed my collarbone. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know," she wailed. "But I remember when you both were tiny and pudgy." She made gestures with her hands. "Just learning how to walk and talk, saying 'momma' and 'dada' every five minutes. And now look at you. All grown up and…and…and graduating high school!"

That's when Dad intervened. It was clear he was trying not to bust out laughing as he pulled her away from me. "Come on, Shelby. They have a party to get to. You can cry on me."

She went to him, but said, "I don't wanna cry on you. I wanna cry on my baby."

Piper looked over at me and grinned. "Come on, momma's boy. Jules and the others are probably already there. And I'm starving."

"Be careful," Dad said. "And don't do any damage to my truck or you'll be the one fixing it."

I grinned as he tossed me the keys. "Done and done."

"One more thing," he called. We turned back to him. "You drink, you don't drive that truck. Understand?"

Piper and I shared an amazed look.

Dad chuckled. "I know teenagers. And this is a party. I'm not stupid, so if you're going to drink, please be safe about it. Drinking in public is different than drinking here at the house where I can watch over you."

Mom and Dad had thought it would be best to have our first drink at home, where we were safe. When Dad, Uncle Jacob, Uncle Embry, and some of the other guys got together for their routine guys' night, Will and I had been invited and allowed to drink with them. It wasn't that they condoned underage drinking. They just wanted us to understand what it was like to get tipsy or drunk and how to deal with it because they knew how teenagers worked. Instead of creating a bunch of rebellious teenagers by saying you can't do this or that, they allowed us to try it where they could keep an eye on us. That way we knew what to expect if we were out in public with our friends.

"That goes for sex, too," Mom said.

Piper choked on air. I just stared. "Mom!"

She held up a hand from where she was bundled up in Dad's arms. "Hey, I know how these things go. Your dad may not have been a normal teenager because of the phasing thing, but I was human when I was your age. I remember the pressures, the excitement. Just be careful, okay? You don't want to add to the complication of imprinting on someone else."

Involuntarily, my gaze went to Dad. He nodded his understanding.

"We will, Mom," I said. "I'll watch Piper."

"And I'll watch Bray. Promise."

Twenty minutes later, we were pulling up beside Uncle Jacob's truck. He must have given it to Will for the night. The party was in full swing. People had cups in their hands and were talking around the huge bonfire. There was a chill tonight for me, and that meant that it was pretty cold to everyone else. And even though it was cold, many of the girls were in shorts and skirts, holding each other's hands as they made their way through the crowd. Most of the school had shown up, which wasn't a surprise. The party wasn't a secret even though it was meant for the seniors. As I put the truck in park, I could have sworn I saw a flash of copper hair against the backdrop of the fire. But as soon as I saw it, it was gone.

"I just don't see why I can't drive," Piper pouted in the passenger seat.

Sighing in exasperation, I unhooked my seatbelt. "Because I said so."

She glared at me, green eyes fiercer due to the charcoal eyeliner. "That's not a reason. I do have my permit. And Dad lets me drive."

Opening the door, I swung out, boots hitting the wet ground. "Yeah, well, I'm not Dad. Besides, if I let you drive without Dad and you wrapped this thing around a tree, _I'd_ be the one fixing it. Not you. Unless we both died. So, I drive."

"Bossy," she grumbled, hopping out on her side.

"Damn straight," I said.

She met me at the front of the truck and slipped into her jacket. "I'm gonna go find Jules and Ava."

We reached for each other at the same time. She kissed my cheek and I kissed hers before she took off in her heels. I watched her until she disappeared into the crowd. No matter how much I irritated her or she did her best to aggravate me, we were close. The spats between us were done with affection. I could never really ever be angry with her. Or at least, I hadn't had a reason yet. And I was as protective of her as Dad was, maybe even more so. And I knew she loved me. Every time a girl she didn't approve of came to close to me, she'd glare the girl down and tell her to get lost. I'd felt so sorry for Marcy after Piper got a hold of her, but she really had been irritating. I hadn't had the heart to tell her off, but Piper did. And once she was on the war path, there was no stopping her. Just like Mom.

"Yo, Snake Eyes! You just gonna stand there all night?"

Shaking my head, I pulled myself out of my thoughts and ran up to Will. He was the only one allowed to call me that even though the pack knew the nickname. "Are you kidding, Pretty Boy? And let you get faced without me? I don't think so." I threw myself across his shoulders, ribbing on him.

The crowd of guys and some girls closed around us and someone shoved a plastic cup in my hand. Let the night begin.

**PiperPOV**

_Stupid idiots,_ I thought as I pushed through a crowd of already toasted seniors. One made a pass at me and I glared at him until he took his hand off my waist. Good. I really didn't want to have to break any bones tonight. Everyone knew I was Brayden's sister. He was the only person in the school to have phased. They were either terrified of him or fascinated by him. Or both. But no matter how they felt about him, they knew better than to piss him off, and that meant no messing with his little sister.

"Piper!" A second later, bronze curls were bouncing in front of me.

"Hey, Jules."

Ava walked up behind her. Out of the three of us, Jules was the most bouncy. Well, if anyone had three gorgeous brothers like she did, they wouldn't have a thing to worry about. Those brothers of hers were hell if you messed with her. Add Brayden to the mix of protective testosterone and they were their own army. Of course, the four boys were protective of any pack female who had yet to phase.

"How long have you been here?" I asked them.

"We just pulled up about ten minutes ago," Jules said, aqua eyes studying the crowd. No doubt trying to keep up with her brothers.

Ava shrugged. "I just got here and managed to find Jules. What about you?"

"Same. Where's the food? It smells delicious."

Jules pointed to her right. "They put the grills closer to the cliffs so that the smoke could fly out. Everything's done."

"Good. I could eat like Brayden right about now."

"Speaking of," Jules said, craning her neck. "Where is he?"

Mentally rolling my eyes, I turned around and pointed. "See that big crowd of guys ribbing on each other? He's in the center of all that. Probably getting wasted with your brother."

"Of course. Did you see the twins with them?"

I shook my head. "Haven't seen them, but I haven't been looking. Dox is probably surrounded by the females, and Ash is probably hiding in the shadows somewhere with a book."

Ava and Jules laughed.

"Probably."

"Ava!" We all turned to see Josh, a fellow sophomore, now junior, running walking toward us, drink in hand.

She grinned. "Hey, Josh. What's up? Working on inebriation already?"

He put a hand to his chest and smiled. "How well you know me. But no, it's just Coke for now. Would you like to dance?"

Someone had managed to get two huge speakers out here and was blasting music.

Ava grinned again. "Sure." She turned to us. "I'll find you later, okay?"

We waved her off. "Have fun!" I called.

Jules shook her head. "Man, they really like each other, don't they?"

"Yes, they do." I turned to her. "Speaking of liking…you're crushing my brother, aren't you?"

She turned to me, fear in her aqua eyes. "What? Why would you ask me that?"

Wrapping my arm through hers, I threaded us through the crowd. "Oh come on, Jules. You're my best friend. Of course I know the signs. Kind of like when you knew I kind of had a thing for Will. But yours is different because we're older. And mine no longer exists, even though he's still friggin' hot."

"But…but-," she spluttered.

"Don't worry. I won't say anything. But if you don't want anyone knowing, I advise you watch how you look at him, how you watch him. I know you better than anyone so I can see it now. Just don't let it go unchecked. However, I brought up my brother to say something else."

"What?" she asked worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

I chewed my lip. "I don't know. I heard him and Dad talking outside my room just before we left. Dad was advising Bray to tell 'her' something. Brayden said whoever it was wasn't ready to be told. Not yet."

"Well, it could mean nothing, Pipe. Who do you think they were talking about?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. It could be anybody. Me, Mom…you."

"Me? Why me?"

Shrugging, I released her to grab a paper plate from the start of the food table. "You're his best friend other than Will. And me. It sounded important, and Dad made it seem like it's something that needs to happen soon. Like Brayden leaving."

She grabbed a plate and caught up with me. "Leaving? Where would he go? I mean, all he's ever wanted was to join the pack. There's no way he'd leave."

"Unless something's changed."

"Like what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Honestly, if you would have asked me if my brother could keep a secret from me, I'd say no. But apparently he has been if Dad knows about it and I don't."

We piled our plates and went to find a secluded log at the edge of the trees. From where we sat, we had a view of the whole party. Will and Brayden were chugging down from plastic cups. No doubt the Black kids had gotten the same speech about the drinking. If you drink, don't drive. Will would be more hammered than Brayden since he hadn't phased yet. Alcohol affected the wolves differently, so my brother could kick a few back without batting an eyelash.

The hairs at the back of my neck stood up, as if someone were watching me. Frowning, I scanned the crowd, then turned to the dark woods behind me. Nothing.

"Pipe? You okay?"

Turning back to her, I said, "Yeah. Just got a chill, I guess." When I looked at her worried eyes, I smiled. "Hey, don't worry about it. Let's just have a good time tonight, okay? Try to forget I said anything. I'm sure it's nothing. I'm just a little sister worried about her big brother."

From that point on, we didn't' go near the topic of Brayden and his weird behavior. We talked about who we thought would be hooking up over the break. Whose style would change. There were several people who stand to go through an attitude adjustment, too. Ava joined us for about ten minutes every hour or so. She and Josh were hitting it off. We discussed who we'd want in our classes, and the girls we'd like to punch for making moves on our brothers. With four brothers, Jules had a longer list than I did.

It was nearing midnight when Jules and I both realized we hadn't seen Ava in a while, longer than an hour. With a look passed between us, we made our way through the crowd, tossing our drinks when we didn't find her on the first round. She wouldn't have left without at least texting on of us and/or one of the boys. What worried me most was that we hadn't found Josh, either. When we didn't find them on round two, we went to find the boys. Surprisingly, they weren't drunk. They were urging the other guys into drunken stupors instead.

Grabbing Brayden's arm, I dragged him away from the group. Jules did the same with Will.

"Pipes, what's up?"

When we were alone enough and I could hear myself think, I stopped and faced him. He was flushed with the excitement and fun of the party, and I was almost tempted not to drag him into this. But it was too late because he'd already seen the look on my face. His letting loose mentality changed in an instant, snapping back to serious and alertness.

"Piper, what's going on? Did somebody make a move on you?"

I shook my head. "I could take care of them if they did. Bray, Jules and I can't find Ava."

"What?"

"We searched twice. Josh is missing, too. The guy she's been with the whole time. She hasn't checked in with us in over an hour."

He studied me for a moment. "That doesn't mean she's in trouble. Maybe she's just, you know, have a good time."

I shook my head, adamant about this. "No, Brayden. You know better than that. We all agreed to check in or at least leave a message. I don't have one and neither does Jules."

Reaching into his pocket, he checked his phone, frowning. No message for him either.

This so wasn't a good sign.

**JulesPOV**

Will and I were beside Piper and Brayden a second later. Brayden was frowning at his phone.

Will gave Brayden a look. "Let's split up. Brayden, go with Piper. Jules, stay with me. Keep your phones out."

"What about Dox and Ash?" I asked.

Will shook his head. "Don't know where they are and we need to find Ava first. The twins can take care of themselves."

With that, we split up. Will and I went back towards the woods while Piper and Bray took the cliffs.

"How long ago did you last see her?"

I shook my head, trying to remember. "I don't know. Probably about ten, ten-thirty."

"Where did you last see her?"

"Will, I don't know. She went into the crowd with Josh. I didn't see them sneak off."

The anxiety in my voice must have gotten his attention. He reached up and massaged my neck. "We'll find her. I promise."

Feeling a little better at the contact, I took a deep breath and nodded, eyes scanning the crowd.

We were just about to the spot where Piper and I had been sitting when Will grabbed my arm, his concentration focused on the woods. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Sounded like screaming."

Standing perfectly still I tried to stretch my hearing out past the music and all the voices of people trying to talk over one another. My hearing was better than humans because of Mom's half-vampire blood. After a long moment of nothing, I heard an echo of something from the direction Will had pointed out. Snapping my eyes open, we shared a look before breaking into a run for the tree line. While we ran, I managed to dig out my phone and dial Piper, breathlessly telling her where to find us.

"Josh, I said stop!" Ava's voice echoed through the trees, but it wasn't frantic enough to signify that things had gone as far as it could have with the time they'd had to be alone.

Shit.

Will, with his stupidly long legs, pulled out ahead of me, jumping over logs and roots. And I could tell he was pissed by how rigid he was.

"You're drunk. Get off me!"

There was dark laugh that followed her words.

"I'm serious. I am not doing this with you. Get. Off!"

"Aw, c'mon. Don't be like that. We're having a good time. This is a party."

Finally, we burst through a thicket of thick brush into a small clearing. Ava was trying to get past a tipsy Josh. Every time he tried to touch her, she jerked away. He was slowly herding her back toward a large tree. She was starting to panic, the fear clear in her eyes. Though Josh wasn't a wolf, he was still a big well-built guy and could easily overpower her. Every time I'd interacted with him, he'd been perfectly sweet and well-mannered. Apparently even the good ones could be mean drunks.

"Hey!" Will shouted as he angrily strode across the clearing toward Josh. "Get off her! Now!"

Josh looked over his shoulder and it was clear he was trashed. "Go away, man," he slurred. "I'm havin' some private time."

"Go have it with yourself. The lady said no. That means you're not getting lucky tonight, not with her."

Josh reached back to grip Ava's wrist so tight that she whimpered. "She wants me. She's been begging for it all night."

"Let go, Josh. Please. You just need some time to sober up. You're not like this."

"Josh," Will growled. "You have three seconds to let her go before I introduce your face to that tree."

I looked to Ava. She nodded and started trying to loosen Josh's grip. Will was always good on his threats.

"Or what?" Josh spat, wavering a little on his feet. "You can't have all the bitches, Black."

Will charged for Josh, and Ava just barely managed to free herself and get out of the way before Will tackled Josh backward. They tumbled and rolled until Will got the better hand and really did press Josh's face into the tree with a crack. He had one of Josh's arms in a joint lock behind his back, the other hand on the side of Josh's face, pressing him into the bark.

"See? Now didn't I tell you I'd introduce you? Here, let me do it again." Will grabbed a handful of Josh's hair, pulled his head back, and slammed his temple into the tree. There was a loud crack, but Josh didn't go down.

Instead, he managed to push back and get out from under my brother. Ava ran to me, clutching my arm while the boys fought. Her whole body trembled where it was pressed to mine.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She took a shaky breath and nodded. "He's just had too much to drink."

"That's not an excuse," I said harshly. "You said no. No means no. Not 'I'm teasing you'."

Another loud crack rang through the trees. Will and Josh were rolling in the dirt, throwing fists. Will had a cut above his left eye that was bleeding down his temple. The hair that fell over his forehead there was plastered to his skin. He managed to roll Josh and get the top position. And then he was all fists. Josh's head thumped over and over against the ground.

"Will!" I yelled, finally scared. "Stop! You'll kill him! Stop it!"

I'd never seen my brother so angry. And in that moment, I knew it was more than just typical teenage boy aggression. This was something more, something huge. This was the beginning of his phasing anger. Fear shot down my spine, and my body began to shake.

Letting go of Ava, I started for them. Maybe if I got close enough, my presence would help calm him. But the closer I got, the angrier Will became.

"Will! Please!" I begged, tears springing up.

A dark blur shot past me, tackling Will off of Josh. It was Henry. It was clear he'd just come out of the woods since he was in a pair of cut-offs and nothing else. He wrestled with Will across the clearing floor, trying not to hurt him and gain control of Will's arms before it could become another punching match. Brayden and Piper broke through the trees a moment later. Ava and I moved toward Josh. He was still breathing but unconscious. Blood covered his face, running out of his broken nose. Piper joined us, her phone to her ear, while Brayden went to help Henry with Will. My brother was wild with his aggression, almost as if his sanity had gone on vacation.

"That's enough, Will!" Henry gritted out, gaining control of one arm as Brayden grabbed the other.

Will bared his teeth, the left side of his face covered in blood, eyes crazed and set on Josh.

"Who are you calling?" I asked Piper.

"Dr. Cullen. I figured it would be faster than trying to get him to the hospital. Plus, no emergency bills."

"Good point." Gripping his wrist with shaking hands, I felt for his pulse and looked at my watch, just as Grampa Carlisle had taught me.

Brayden and Henry finally managed to wrestle my brother into the woods. I could hear them crashing around in the direction of my house. I wanted to go after them, but I also felt I needed to oversee Josh until my grandfather arrived. It didn't take long until he silently entered the clearing with Grampa Edward right behind him.

He knelt by me. "Go to your brother, sweetie. We can handle it from here. You did well."

"Are you sure?" I asked worriedly, looking up into his topaz eyes.

He smiled gently and nodded. "Go. Will is going to need you."

"What about the twins?"

"I'll find them," Piper said, standing up. "Ava, you stay here with the doc and tell them what happened." She looked to Carlisle. "She's probably going to go into shock."

"Am not," Ava said weakly.

Piper's gaze moved to me. "What are you still doing here? Go to Will. And make sure my brother's okay."

With reassurances that everyone was in good hands, I ran for the woods.

**JacobPOV**

Nessie had collapsed in my arms about fifteen minutes ago. She was still calming down and sweaty.

"Man, even with four grown kids, we still got it."

I chuckled, the bite on my hip bone burning as the sheet brushed it. "Amen to that."

Half sitting up against the headboard with her in my arms against my chest, I drew circles on the bare skin of her back. "Can you believe we're going to have a senior in high school? Where the hell did all the time go? I feel so old."

She rubbed her nails across my chest. "I know. I feel like they should all still be toddlers, like I just had the twins."

"How could two kids be so alike yet so different?"

"I have no idea. Ash is so quiet. But Will told me that he's the one out of the two that's the scariest. Apparently, he glares at all the boys who watch Jules and they back off."

I rubbed her shoulder. "Well, it's like you said earlier, Ash isn't as outgoing. He's always been closer to Jules, anyway. Well, closer to Jules right behind Maddox. They're a team all their own. I mean, I hate to say this about my own kids and I'm not putting them down, but Maddox is more of the muscle out of the two of them. Ash is the quiet plotter, you know? Not that he's smarter than Maddox. He just…notices more because he's not constantly moving."

Kissing my chest, she traced her hand down my abdomen. "I know what you mean."

"God, I can't believe we made it to the point where I have to worry about some kid hitting on my daughter. Now I know how you're dad felt with me around."

She laughed. "Her brothers probably formed ranks around her as soon as they got there. Or they told Piper to watch out for her. That girl is so much like Shelby, it's a little scary sometimes."

"You think? If she phases, she'll be unstoppable."

Leaning up on her elbow, she frowned. "If she doesn't phase like you and your pack, then couldn't she still shift like Shelby?"

I shrugged. "Maybe. But I thought the kids born to a Child of the Moon shifted early, toward the beginning of puberty?"

It was her turn to shrug. "The hybrids could be different. Just because Brayden phased doesn't mean she will."

Blowing out a breath, I scrubbed my face with my free hand. "When did our world get so complicated?"

"When Tristan decided to wreck it."

I chuckled.

She went up on her knees and swung a leg over my hips. Apparently, she was feeling dominant tonight. Unfortunately, we didn't get far into round three.

A howl went up in the woods close to the house.

Nessie and I froze, frowning up at the ceiling. When another howl went up, we scrambled out of bed and to the closet. I threw on some sweats while she struggled into her own clothes. But I didn't wait on her. Instead, I flew up the stairs and ran for the front door. Seth busted through it before I could reach the handle. He was breathing hard as if he'd just run from wherever he'd been on patrol to here in two seconds. He probably had.

"It's Will," he said with a very direct stare.

My heart dropped to my stomach. "What about him?" I demanded.

"Something happened. I don't know exactly what."

Brushing past him, I ran onto the porch. All I knew was that I needed to see my son before I could breathe right again. This must have been how my own father felt every time I went out to fight or just to run with the pack.

Behind me, in the house, I could hear Ness asking Seth what was wrong.

Fear was choking me along with terrible thoughts and images of my son torn to pieces by the Volturi or an outside pack. That he would be sent to me as punishment for winning my family's safety all those years ago. Out in the front yard, I scanned the woods.

The moment the bushes rattled and Henry and Brayden came out with Will draped between them, clearly alive, I wanted to drop to my knees and thank whatever god was out there listening to my prayers. But then, I actually saw him. The left side of his face was covered in blood from a cut above his eye. His hands were bloodied, knuckles busted. Clearly, some of the blood was his, but it was his eyes that scared me. They were distant and flickering, unfocused. In shock. He was in shock.

"What happened?" I demanded, moving toward them.

"Some guy was drunk," Brayden said, "and wouldn't leave Ava alone. Will lost it. If you want details, you'll need to ask Jules."

I went up to them and gently cupped my son's face. "Will? Look at me, son."

He kept swallowing hard, blinking fast, eyes shifting back and forth.

"Will, look at me," I commanded. When his eyes finally made it up to mine, I said, "It's okay. Whatever happened, it's over. You're safe."

His mouth moved but no sound came out.

I leaned forward, frowning. "What?"

"The anger," he breathed. "So much anger. Dad…"

And then his knees gave out.

I caught him against me, one arm around his waist, the other cupping his head. "Hey, I got you. It's okay, buddy. I got you."

He didn't exactly hug me back. His hands were shaking so bad that I could feel it from where his elbows dug into my ribs.

"I c-could…could have…k-killed him. I wanted to."

I kept rocking him, but looked to Henry and Brayden. "One of you tell me that that didn't happen. Right now."

They exchanged a look, but Brayden stepped up to the plate. "It didn't." Will sagged against me even more as if it were news to him that he hadn't killed someone. "Jules took the guy's vitals before we took off. He was still alive. Unconscious but alive. Broken nose, maybe. Piper was calling Carlisle when we left."

"Dad," Will said, finally clutching at me. "Dad."

"Shh, it's okay," I whispered stroking the hair at the nape of his neck. I buried my face in his neck and held him tight. "We'll sort through this. Remember what I promised you a few years ago? We go through this stuff together, as a family. I'll take care of you. I promise."

There was a gasp from the porch and I knew it was his mother.

"Will?" she said in a breathless voice. "Oh my god." A second later, she was beside us, stroking the bloodied side of his face. "What happened?" she asked hysterically to everybody and nobody at the same time.

"Mom," Will whispered.

The bushes rustled again and Jules came spilling out. She ran over to us, her hands hovering over her brother's back, tears in her eyes.

I reached out to her with the hand I was using to rub his hair. I lifted her chin. "Jules, what happened?"

Nessie had glued herself to my side, keeping her face in Will's line of sight and whispering to him while his face was pressed to my shoulder.

"Jules?"

She was breathing hard, her eyes scared and sad. "Piper and I couldn't find Ava, so we split up with the boys. Will and I found her. She'd gone off with a guy named Josh. They'd hit it off and were having a good time, but I guess he's not as nice drunk. He was pushing, hadn't gotten to forcing yet, when we found them. Will told him to back off, and then…and then, Will just snapped." She looked up at me and I knew she was holding something back. "Dad, I've never seen him like that. It was…scary. Henry had to tackle him away, and then it took both Henry and Brayden to drag him into the woods. I stayed back to check on Josh. He was fine. Unconscious but fine. Broken nose, maybe a fractured jaw. Grampa Carlisle and Grampa Edward are taking him back to the house and are gonna call his parents."

"Jacob," Nessie said, looking at me with tears in her eyes. "Let's get him inside. He doesn't need to be out in this cold being in shock. And I need to clean him up."

At that moment, the twins, Ava, and Piper came down the walkway that led around the lake to Seth's place. Maddox and Ash ran for us, worry written across their faces. Gently, they took their brother from my arms and draped him between them.

"We got you, big brother," Ash said, echoing my words, wrapping his arm around his brother's waist. "Let's get you inside."

"Take him up to his room," Nessie said as she followed them.

Jules turned to Brayden and Henry. I waited for her as she dug into her purse. "He gave me the keys to the truck. Could one of you, please…um, please go get it? Please?" Her hands were shaking so badly that the keys jingled. "Please?" she said again, voice cracking.

Brayden came forward and gently took them from her, cupping her cheek with one hand. "Of course. Go take care of my best friend. I'll check on the other kid and keep you posted, okay?"

Sniffling, she nodded and turned around, shoulders hunched. I wrapped an arm around her and nodded to the boys. "Before you bring the truck back, take Ava home. I'm sure my sister's heard about this and wants to see her daughter safely home." I looked to my niece. "Are you okay to go home, or do you need to see Carlisle?"

"He already looked at me. Uncle Edward did call Mom and Dad. I promised I'd be home as soon as I checked on Will."

The boys nodded before escorting the girls back into the woods.

Twenty minutes later, after checking on Will's progress every five minutes, I managed to get Jules downstairs and a hot mug of cocoa in her hands. The shaking had slowed down enough that she could hold it without burning herself from splashing. I'd wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat down in my chair at the head of the table. Nessie and the twins were working together to get Will cleaned up. He was slowly coming out of the shock and able to help a little.

"Jules, baby, what did you leave out of your story?"

She looked up at me, somewhat shocked that I'd figured it out. But she got over it and looked back down into her hot chocolate. "When we got to the clearing, Will told Josh to back off." She paused. I could tell that this next part bothered her a lot. "Dad, Josh is a good guy. Just not when he's been drinking."

Reaching over, I took her hand in mine. It was cold. "Baby girl," I said gently, rubbing her hands between mine. "I believe you. A lot of people are nicer sober. Just tell me what happened to set your brother off."

Sighing, she started up again. "Josh told Will that Ava wanted him, that she'd been begging for it all night. And if that wasn't bad enough, he said…," she closed her eyes before repeating the words. "He said, 'You can't have all the bitches, Black'. That's when Will went after him. At first, it seemed like a normal guy fight. And then, something happened when Josh started fighting back. It was like Will didn't like it, and he just went crazy. I tried to tell him to stop, that he was going to kill him." When her aqua eyes met mine, they were scared but they also held a bit of guilt. "Dad, I've never not been able to calm him down. That was a first, and it scared me. All our lives, I've been able to calm him down from his temper tantrums or irritation. Tonight…I felt so helpless."

Going down on my knees beside her, I reached up to brush the hair from her face. "Jules, this wasn't your fault. Nothing you could have said or done would have stopped him. Physical force was the only way and if you would have gotten involved in that, he wouldn't have stopped until it was too late. It would have eaten him alive to come out of shock knowing that he'd beaten his own sister. It's good that you didn't get involved, sweetie. You did everything right, tonight. I'm proud of you."

Her eyes were glassy. "What's happening to him, Dad? What's happening to my big brother?"

Unable to bear seeing my daughter cry, I reached up and pulled her down so her face was buried in my shoulder. Rocking her, I rubbed her back. "Baby, it's the phasing. He's getting close, very close. Sometimes, the anger is the trigger. It was for me. Your grampa just told me I looked weird, and I nearly phased right there in the kitchen. You've seen your Aunt Emily. That's what would have happened to Grampa had I not controlled it long enough to get out of the house. But Will's not close enough that it forces the phase. He may have a few more episodes before he actually does phase."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I don't know if he'll survive any more episodes, Dad. What if the next time he hurts someone irreparably, someone who doesn't deserve it? He'll never forgive himself. Josh deserved what he got tonight, but if Henry and Brayden hadn't shown up, there's no telling how far he would have gone."

I stroked her hair. "I know, baby. I know. This is my fault. I should have had more eyes on him. I just didn't think it would hit this hard. Usually the anger is gradual, building up to an explosion like tonight, so it's easier to anticipate and divert. I'm so sorry you had to see it, especially from your brother."

"Promise me he'll be okay."

I couldn't make a promise that I couldn't keep. "I promise you that we'll get him through this." That was the best I could do. He'd get through it alive, but that didn't mean he'd be okay by the end of it.

Outside, car doors closed. Brayden told Piper to go home and she refused. A minute later, the three of them walked through the door. Piper came straight for Jules, who shifted from my arms to her best friend's. "Piper, could you please take her upstairs and get her taken care of?"

"Sure, Uncle Jake." She wrapped an arm around Jules. "Let's go, sweetness."

Once they were upstairs, I looked to Henry and Brayden. "You two did good tonight. Thank you for bringing my son home."

Henry shrugged. "He's like our brother, Uncle Jake. And I know what he's going through. So does Brayden. I take the blame for this. I should have been watching him closer."

I shook my head. "No. It's not your fault. Will had no warning signs. None of us expected this level straight out of the box. However, from this night on, one of you will always be near him when he leaves this house. Understood? You will go everywhere with him as soon as his boots leave my front porch. You two can take the damage he can dish. No more hurting people outside the pack. Henry, tighten your security detail. But I want either you or Brayden with him at all times outside this house."

They shared a look of understand before looking back to me and nodding. "Consider it done," Brayden said. "From my room, I can tell when he leaves. That'll give Henry some time to work with the other guys."

"Good. I'm glad he has the two of you. Now go on. Get some sleep. You've had a long night."

They both said good night before turning and going for the door. I turned for the stairs when Henry called me back. "Uncle Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"He has you, too." And then he walked out, leaving me standing there staring after him.

**JulesPOV**

Sometime after two in the morning, I managed to get Piper to go home. I didn't want a babysitter. I wanted to stay with my brother. Once I was sure she was gone, I wrapped my blanket around me and went across the hall. On my way there, I saw that the twins weren't in their room. I softly knocked on Will's door.

Ash answered it.

"How is he?" I whispered.

"_He _is better," another voice answered before Ash could.

Despite my fear, I smiled. Ash rolled his eyes and, shaking his head, moved to the side, opening the door for me. Will was sitting up in bed, a tank covering his torso. White gauze covered the cut above his left eye. I could see it through the hair that laid over his forehead. Maddox was sitting at the foot of the bed. It was a huge orgy-sized mattress. All four of us could fit on it.

Will patted the empty space beside him. "Get in here, baby sister."

Moving in, I trailed the blanket behind me and climbed up across his lap and settled between him and the wall. "You do realize that I'm not the baby out of this bunch, right?"

He chuckled and rested his head on my shoulder. "You're the only girl, therefore, you're the baby sister. Ash is the baby brother."

"Gee," Ash said sarcastically. "I feel so much better."

Both Dox and Ash were in their pajamas as they laid down at the foot of the bed.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Will shot back. He looked to me. "How are you?"

My eyebrows met my hairline. "Are you kidding? You're seriously asking _me_ that? _I_ should be asking _you_ that."

He took my hand. "I already answered. I'm better. Your turn."

I squeezed his hand and fought back the tears. "You scared me tonight," I whispered. "Badly. I've never not been able to get through to you. And the way you were clinging to Dad. He looked so scared and relieved at the same time."

He let go of my hand so that he could wrap his arm around me and pull me into his side. He kissed my hair. "I'm sorry, Jules. I don't know what happened. It was so surreal, like I was there but I wasn't. I could see what I was doing but I couldn't stop it. My body was on autopilot, hot and pumping adrenaline. I just really needed to hit something. On the way back, I came back to myself and the realization of what I'd done. He's really okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Bloody, unconscious, and a broken nose, but okay. Maybe a concussion. He's in good hands though with Grampa Carlisle."

"Good. I'm going to have to apologize. I know he need to get his ass kicked, but I should have stopped long before I actually did."

"You know," Ash said quietly, "if you're right about all of us phasing, there's a good chance we're all going to go through this."

Maddox looked at me. "What did Dad say to you? I heard you ask what was happening to Will."

I avoided meeting their eyes. "He said that the anger episodes should have been more gradual. There should have been more signs so that this could have been avoided." Now I did meet their eyes. "Apparently things are different with us."

Will squeezed me harder, then touched first Ash then Maddox with his foot, grabbing their attention. "Listen to me. If the three of you phase, I won't let you hurt anyone, okay? I swear it. Nothing like this will happen to you. Dad, Brayden, Henry, and I will be watching over you. Do you understand me? I won't let it."

Ash, Maddox, and I shared a look before we looked up to Will. The three of us nodded.

"Good. Let's get some sleep."

He turned off the lamp and we all bundled down for the night. I put my back to the wall and hugged a pillow to my chest. Even though we weren't touching like we used to when we were kids, it was still comforting having them so close to me.

Slowly, with my brothers cornering me with their warmth, my body relaxed enough that I was able to sink into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Okay, was I the only one who got emotional? I mean really. And I am loving the bond between the siblings. Let me know how you feel! And if anybody needs a list of the kids and who they belong to, PM me. I have it all written out at my elbow for reference. I do keep notes. Love y'all! Until next time! xoxoxoxoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh you guys are going to hate me for this chapter. Like really hate me at the end of it. DO NOT READ THIS IN CLASS OR AT WORK! I cried so hard...like sobbed. Please just remember that. Also, the next chapter is going to begin in tears. I can't really function after writing this so I...I just can't.**

***Disclaimer***

**Pleas Enjoy!**

* * *

**PiperPOV**

"You look like crap," were my brother's version of "good morning".

I flipped him off behind Mom's back as I sat down at the table. He chuckled.

"I saw that," Dad said from the living room.

"No you didn't," I countered grumpily. "You just know me too well."

Dad tried to hide his chuckle behind a cough. "I should make you apologize, but…"

"You know it won't do any good."

Brayden reached over and moved my hair out of my face. "Why do look like crap? You didn't sleep, did you?"

Shrugging, I smiled up at Mom as she put a bowl of oatmeal in front of me. She rubbed my hair before going back to cooking. "I don't know. Last night bothered me more than I thought, I guess."

He reached over, brushed a finger over my cheek. "Hey, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, okay? Will would understand if I beat him bloody."

I smiled at his protectiveness. "I know that. That's not what bothers me."

He frowned. "Then what?"

I didn't want to spill the real reason. I wanted to save that for Jules. "How out of control he was. I mean you know how close Will and Jules are. Even she couldn't get through to him. If Henry or you hadn't gotten there when you did, she would have tried to pull him away. He was so out of control that he would have done something terrible."

Dad joined us at the table. "I talked to Jake last night after everyone got settled. We've put Brayden and Henry on Will at all times when he's out of the house. And we're watching him like hawks now for any signs. It's like Jacob told Jules last night, usually the anger is gradual. There's a steady escalation where it can be predicted, but that didn't happen with Will. Now, we're prepared to close ranks around him the moment he starts getting agitated." He reached over to grip my hand. "I promise you that nothing is going to happen to Jules. We've got eyes on all four of them."

_Yeah, as does someone else,_ I thought, my mind going back to last night in the clearing after Jules left.

In a second I was back in that clearing.

_Something wasn't right. I felt those eyes again, but not like they were focused on me. After everyone left, leaving me and Ava in the woods, everything went quiet. Slowly, I turned in a circle, eyes scanning the woods._

_And that's when I saw the blonde hair. Not bright like Aunt Tricia's but shining nonetheless. Just as I'd felt, the girl's eyes weren't on me or Ava. There were fixed to last spot Will had been before my brother and Henry had dragged him into the woods. It was the look in those eyes that made shivers skitter down my spine. Even from here, I could tell they were a shade of green and held hunger, anticipatory hunger. And excitement._

_With her attention elsewhere, I moved through the brush and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the open._

_"__Hey! Let go of me."_

_I swung her around. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"_

_She was exactly my height, which made her tall for a female. "I saw all of you running this way and thought I would follow to see if I could help."_

_I studied her for a long moment. "Uh-huh. Well, next time stick your nose in your own business, blondie."_

_As I turned away from her to get back to Ava, she gripped my arm, hauling me back. "Hey, I was adopted by a Quileute couple. I know about the pack. My uncle taught me."_

_Furious, I ripped my arm out of her grasp and stepped into her personal space. "Good for you, princess. You're not one of us, so stay out of our business."_

_"__I have a name."_

_"__And I don't care. Quit spying on us."_

_"__It's Hunter, by the way. Thanks for asking." Her own temper was flaring._

_"__You're not welcome." I turned back to Ava. "Come on. Let's go check on the boys."_

We'd left the girl behind. She could find her own damn way out of the woods.

"Piper?"

I shook my head. "Yeah? Sorry. I was zoning."

Brayden's eyes softened. "Will and Uncle Jake are going down to the Cullen place. Will wants to apologize to Josh. I'm going with. You should go check on Jules."

I laughed. "She was all too happy to get me out of the house last night."

Mom patted my shoulder from where she sat next to me. "She just wanted to be with her brother. They're very close. You'd have been the same if it had been Bray, and you know it. I'm sure she wants you to check on her."

"Yeah, you're right."

Brayden stood up and kissed the top of my head as he moved for the door. "Don't beat yourself up. This is messy business. Just roll with it, kid. Dad, are you coming?" he asked, slipping into his leather jacket.

Dad shook his head. "Filling in for Jake at the shop. Shannon is out of town for work so Xavier is home with the kidlet."

He nodded. "Good deal. I'll keep you updated." And then he was gone.

Mom patted my hand. "Come on. Let's get dressed. I wanna see Ness."

Letting out a breath, I went and got dressed. All the while, blonde hair and green eyes agitated my memory.

**WillPOV**

Deep breath in. Blow it out hard. There was a car parked in front of the Cullen house that I didn't recognize. Probably Josh's parents. Dad and Brayden were on either side of me, and I knew that Henry was in the woods, trailing us. Honestly, I didn't mind the babysitting. It made me feel better to know that I had experienced people around me. The anger I'd felt coursing through me the night before had scared the shit out of me after I got my head straight again.

The front door opened. Grama Bella was smiling down at us. When Dad patted my shoulder, I moved for the stairs and the door. Grama pulled me into her arms. "I'm so glad you're okay." Pulling back, she cupped my face between her hands and studied me. "You are okay, aren't you?"

I gripped her wrists and smiled. "Yeah. I'm okay. Just a little shaken up." I swallowed hard. "His parents are here, aren't they?"

She nodded, smile sympathetic. "Yeah."

"Great."

She tightened her grip comfortingly. "It'll be alright, Will. Everything always works itself out."

Grampa Edward came up behind her, smiling gently. "Your grandmother's right."

"I could have killed him."

"But you didn't. That's what matters." He reached out and cupped my neck and jaw. "This is a hard road you're walking. We all know that. You're a strong young man who has good friends and a very capable father to help you through it."

I looked back at Dad. He smiled at me. Nodding, I took another deep breath. "I'm ready."

As I moved past my grandparents, they wished me luck. Yeah, I was going to need it. My aunts and uncles also wished me luck as I moved for the stairs. Dad kept his hand on my shoulder the entire time. As we got closer to the door of the medical room, I could hear a woman's hysterical voice, and an angry male bass following through the crack in the open door.

"What kind of-of…_animal _does this to someone?" she shrieked. And the comment hit so close to home that I flinched.

Dad squeezed my shoulder.

"Mom!" another voice. Josh's. At least he didn't slur now. The alcohol was out of his system.

"No, Josh. I mean, you're a perfectly nice boy, enjoying a party and then someone just…just…ugh!"

"Ohmygod! Mom! That is not what happened!" he yelled, trying to get her attention.

There was a pause and I figured that it was my turn for show and tell.

I was opening the door just as she was saying, "Josh, what…I don't understand."

"I did it," I said loud and clear into the room.

The man and woman turned and I could see Josh clearly. Damn. I wanted to flinch again, but I didn't. He'd looked better with all the blood on him. He had two black eyes, a swollen nose, and a busted lip. Of course, he'd gotten in a few good swings. My lip was busted, too. And the cut over my eye wasn't any better. It throbbed and stung with any expression I used. Unfortunately, I was one of those people who liked to quirk an eyebrow. All the damn time. And my knuckles were a bloody mess. They'd had to be rewrapped after my shower this morning.

For a moment, they just stood there in shock, staring from me to Dad.

His mother's eyes narrowed. "You? You did this to my baby?"

"Mom-,"

"Hush," she hissed.

The man looked to my dad. "You should be ashamed of your son for what he did. My son did nothing to deserve this."

"Actually-," Josh tried again.

"_Be quiet, Josh!"_

And then Dad spoke up, his deep, commanding voice demanding their attention. "I don't condone what my son did, but it's been dealt with. As for being ashamed of him? Never. I will never be ashamed in my son. If you would take a second to listen to what yours is trying to say, you might understand why I'm actually a bit proud of mine."

"Proud?" the man exclaimed.

"Your son is an animal! Just like you!" she yelled.

Behind me, Brayden growled a warning. Dad shot him a warning glare. Brayden flashed his teeth once before going back to being silent

The man calmed enough to pale. He was aware of who my dad was. He gripped his wife's arm. "Penny, please. Don't antagonize him like that."

"She can say what she wants," Dad said. "She's right anyway. We are animals. Animals who protect this town." He gave her a very direct look.

Her look was both furious and fearful. "That doesn't give your son the right-,"

"Shut up!" Josh yelled. When his parents turned back to him, he said, "And don't talk to them like that. Everyone on the rez knows they keep us safe. How are we supposed to know what they go through? Besides, I deserved what Will gave me last night."

We all looked at him in surprise.

He shrugged. "What? It's true. I was drinking, and I knew better. I got carried away and almost hurt someone. If anyone files any sort of charges, it should be her against me."

"I won't do that." Turning, I saw Ava in the doorway with Uncle Paul looking murderous behind her. She came to stand next to me, smiling up at me.

His mom looked back and forth. "I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Son, what did you do?" the man asked.

Ava, Josh, and I shared a look. It was clear he regretted what he'd done. "It was a misunderstanding," Ava said. "Will did his best to get Josh away from me, but Josh fought back. Will was defending me and himself. It all got out of hand. Really. Josh was tipsy and Will wasn't. That's why there's more damage to Josh."

"She's right," Josh said quietly. "But that wasn't all of it."

His mom gave him a confused, startled look. "You…you almost…Joshua, how could you? And why the hell were you drinking? You know better than that."

He wouldn't meet anybody's eyes. "I know that. And I hate myself for what did happen and what could have happened if Will hadn't beaten me senseless. If anything, I owe him."

I just stayed silent. Silent was better for me. Dad had already told me what his parents might say to me, might call me. He'd said that no matter what, he was proud of me for sticking up for my cousin. If the wolf stuff hadn't gotten involved, it would have been a normal fight. So I just tried to let it roll off my shoulders like he'd said to do.

Josh looked to Ava. "I'm really sorry, Ava. I know better than to drink. It'll never happen again."

"No, it won't," Uncle Paul said, stepping up beside his daughter. "You're not to go near my daughter again. Ever."

"Daddy-,"

He looked at her sharply. "No."

"What about school, Daddy?" Ava asked. "Remember what I told you last night? Remember what he just said?"

No doubt she'd told her dad what Jules had told ours. That Josh was a really good guy besides the drinking. I'd seen him around school and could vouch for their word.

"Why, Ava?" Josh asked, clearly stunned that she was trying to help him.

She started to walk toward him, but Uncle Paul stopped her. Looking back at him, she gently took her arm out of his grasp and went to the bed, standing between his bewildered parents. "Josh, you're a good guy. Everybody knows that. Last night could have gone a lot worse. We were alone for a long time before Will and Jules found us. I still like you, and I think, as long as you don't drink anymore, we can still be friends."

Uncle Paul opened his mouth to say something until Dad shook his head. While we'd still been little, the parents had all agreed to let the kids deal with their own issues as long as they weren't life-threatening. No coddling. And despite Josh trying to force Ava, he hadn't threatened her life, just her virtue.

"Why are you so nice?" Josh said in awe.

Ava smiled. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Josh. Despite the differences in the tribe, we're still human at the core. Humans make mistakes, and we're still young."

Behind me Dad chuckled. "Sounds like Rachel," he muttered with an undertone of pride.

Uncle Paul rolled his eyes. "Of course."

Josh's parents just stood there, still looking lost. Dad motioned them over to him. "Why don't we go have a chat and let the kids work stuff out? Paul, come with us."

Paul looked offended, like he couldn't believe Dad wanted him to leave his baby girl. "But-,"

"Now, Paul. Brayden is perfectly capable." He'd used a hint of the voice, and my uncle knew he'd lost. He glanced at Ava and then glared at Josh before following them out.

I moved up beside Ava, Brayden shadowing me just in case. "I'm sorry, Josh."

He blinked up at me through two black eyes. "For what?"

"I shouldn't have taken it as far as I did. You deserved a little, but not…that excessive."

He shook his head. "No, I deserved it all."

Irritated with him, decided to just jump off the deep end. "Do you realize I could have killed you?"

"Will," Brayden warned.

But I shook him off. "That I would have killed you if my cousin hadn't ripped me off of you?"

That seemed to sink in a little. He swallowed hard and sank back into the bed. "So, it's true, then. About the pack."

Painfully, I stuffed my hands in my pockets. Now that he'd mentioned the pack, a feeling of dominant protectiveness coursed through me. Giving him a direct look, I said, "You understand that you're forbidden from saying anything outside the tribe, right?"

He nodded. "Who would believe me outside the tribe anyway? I don't have any hard feelings, man. I deserved what I got." He touched his nose slightly. "Although, you have one hell of a right hook."

I smiled slightly. It wasn't an amused smile. "Yeah, well, fight training plus going through…things will do that to a guy. I have a question for you, Josh. Do you know who my father is? Who I am? Or I should say, what we are?"

Brayden stepped up. "Will, what are you doing?" he hissed.

Setting my jaw, I held up a hand and looked at him until he backed off, shaking his head. Then, I turned back to Josh, who was looking up at us with something close to fear or anxiety. "Answer the question," I said in a stern voice.

He swallowed hard again and nodded. "Yeah. Mr. Black's the boss. And you're the oldest son."

"So you know our importance to the pack."

He nodded.

"Good. Because let me explain something to you, Josh. You may have dismissed what I did. Ava may have forgiven you easily. But I will not forget what you put her through. I am the next in line to lead the pack, to protect the tribe. If you ever raise even your voice to another female, I will throw you out of the rez and away from Forks for the rest of your life. And I better not hear about you drinking again. Understand that you are now on our watch-list. Or at least mine. I know that the rez police are good at their jobs. But the pack doesn't suffer fools who abuse their significant others and children. Do you understand that?"

I kept severe eye contact with him to let him know that I was deadly serious.

He apparently understood because he was the first to look away and nod.

"Just remember that the next time you want to pick up some alcohol," I said before I turned around and went for the door. "Brayden, stay with them. I'll be out in the hall with Dad."

"Will-,"

"Stay with them." Spinning around, I glared at him. "Brayden, do you really want to make me angry in this room? After what you saw? Please, just stay here."

Even though he was pissed, he angrily held up his hands. "Fine."

On my way out, I had to take several deep breaths. Brayden questioning me hit a pool of anger I didn't even know I had. And he was my best friend. Dad was right. I couldn't be around anybody who hadn't phased yet without someone who had. I was too dangerous.

Slipping out the door, I left Ava and Josh to talk with Brayden watching over them. Dad looked up from where he was talking to Josh's parents. When he looked up, I nodded and moved toward them. Josh's dad looked up at me.

I stuffed my hands back in my pockets. My knuckles had started bleeding again, blushing the white gauze. When the three of them turned to me, I said, "Look, I'm sorry for what I did. I'm not saying he didn't deserve a right hook, but I shouldn't have kept going." I looked up at my dad and then to Josh's. "My dad taught me to be a man who takes responsibility for his actions, and I am. Josh has done the same by pinning some of the blame on himself. Last night should not have gone the way it did, and I will do my best to make sure it doesn't happen again. I just wanted to apologize to you directly."

Josh's dad came up to me, keeping eye contact. After a long moment of staring, he held out his hand. "Your dad's a good man, and has done a lot for the tribe. He explained a little about what you're going through. It doesn't make it better or right, but at least it's an explanation."

Taking my hand out of my pocket, I shook his. He moved past me go back into the room as Ava and Brayden were coming out.

Josh's mom stopped beside me on her way back. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"Don't be. Last night, I wasn't in my right mind. I _was _an animal. From now on, I'm going to be guarded at all times so it doesn't happen again."

She nodded and followed her husband.

Brayden took her place beside me, still scowling.

I looked over to Dad. "Could we get a minute?"

He nodded. "Sure. Ava? Want me to take you home?"

Moving toward him, she shook her head. "I was wanting to meet up with Jules and Piper. Where'd my dad go?"

"Embry had to call him into the shop. I'll take you to my house. The girls should be there." Dad wrapped an around her shoulders as they went for the stairs.

"Thanks, Uncle Jake."

I turned to Brayden, but he held a hand up. "Don't apologize. As much as I don't like it, you were right in there. You're the next alpha. We should respect your orders as much as your dad's." He turned to me, giving me his own serious glare. "But don't you dare expect me to follow an order that could hurt you or anybody else. You're my best friend, but I will protect you from yourself if I have to. We clear?" He held out his forearm.

Nodding, I clasped it. "We're clear."

"We better be."

His phone rang in the next moment. He dug it out of his pocket. "Hey, sis. What's up?" After a moment, he frowned. "Yeah, I can ask…Maybe. Or maybe it was nothing…Alright. Thanks."

"What was that about?"

Shoving the phone back in his pocket, he started down the hallway. I followed. "How well do you know that new girl?"

I frowned, not expecting that to come up. "Hunter? Nothing, really. She was adopted by a Quileute couple, raised by her uncle after they died. She inherited his house here when he died."

"Did you get any weird vibes about her? Other than she had a nice ass?"

I gave him a look. "Other than that, no. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "No reason. Just wanna know who you're hanging out with when it's not me or your brothers and sister. And Piper met her last night at the party. Apparently, my sister doesn't like her."

That made me roll my eyes. "She doesn't like anyone. No other females anyway."

"True. I wouldn't put too much into it. But Piper said she needed to talk to us about something."

I shrugged. "Let's go."

We met up with the girls at my house. When we walked in, Mom put her hands on my face, checking my cuts and bruises before she pulled me into her arms. "Dad told me about what you said to Josh and his parents. I'm proud of you for what you did, for both protecting Ava and apologizing to his parents. That was very big of you."

"Oh, Mom," Maddox said from the couch. "Don't encourage him. Now he's gonna walk around all macho-like." He and Ash were side by side, each holding a controller for video games.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "We don't need his head any bigger than it already is from knowing he's the next alpha and the first born son of the current one." Looking over, he winked and smiled at me.

Mom clapped her hands over my ears. "Really! Don't make your brother mad. You know better. It's a sensitive trigger right now for him."

The two of them sniggered.

"Is our big bad brother sensitive?" Maddox said in a pouty, kid's voice.

Since Mom was still holding my ears, I flipped him off behind her back. He laughed as Dad came up the stairs from his bedroom. He saw it and shook his head in exasperation.

Gently, I gripped Mom's wrists and pulled her hands away from my ears. "I'm fine, Mom. Promise. He's just a pain in the ass."

She didn't look convinced. "Are you sure?"

Leaning forward, I kissed her cheek. "Yes, Mom. I'm sure."

She squeezed my fingers before nodding. "Okay." Then she looked behind me and smiled. "Hi, Brayden."

"Hey, Aunt Nessie." He hugged her as the three girls came down the stairs.

"We ready?" Jules asked.

Brayden and I shared a look.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Coffee shop in town." She finished tying a purple ribbon at the end of one of her braids before looking at us expectantly. Ava and Piper were standing behind her.

I heard a jingle before Dad tossed me the keys to the truck. "It's started raining, and none of you need to be out in that."

"Except me," Brayden said. "All it would do is make my fur stink."

Laughing, Jules playfully punched him. Piper gagged behind her back while Ava just looked amused.

"Come on, guys. Let's get there before the afternoon rush."

**BraydenPOV**

We made it before the crowd showed up, managing to nab the largest table.

Once we ordered our drinks and whatever else, I leaned forward on my elbows to look at Piper. "Now, what did you need to tell us?"

They shared a look. Jules motioned toward me. "You might as well tell him, Piper. I wasn't there and Ava was in shock."

"Was not," Ava said defiantly.

Will and I chuckled. She was a tough one, probably because of her dad. Uncle Paul was the hot-head of the pack. Dane, the youngest of that particular family, was just as tough even though he was barely ten years old. He was fiercely protective over his older sisters, Ava and Linley. No doubt he'd slept with Ava last night.

"Yes, you were," Piper said. "Anyway, after you and Henry managed to drag Will into the woods, I had this feeling. Not exactly that I was being watched, but that there was someone there other than me and Ava. I saw that new girl, Hunter, in the woods. She'd followed us into that clearing so she saw everything. When I confronted her, she said that she knew about the pack."

Will and I shared a look. "Okay," I said. "And? There's something else."

Piper leaned forward. "Bray, it was the look in her eyes. It was like she was seeing something she'd been told about but had never believed. I remember thinking about it as anticipatory hunger, like the look a Disney villain gets when something is unexpectedly going their way."

"That was a very creepy analogy," Will said.

Piper gave him a sneer.

He leaned forward to mirror me and Piper. "So what are you saying, Pipe?"

"I don't know. Something just felt off about it. Like she knew what was happening to you, and she wanted to see it."

Will shrugged. "You said it yourself, she knows about the pack. Maybe she was just curious."

Piper gave him a disbelieving look before she shook her head. "Never mind. You weren't there to see it so why should you believe me."

"I didn't say I didn't believe you. It's just that there are a lot of people curious about us."

Already irritated, Piper held up her hands. "No. Never mind. Forget I said anything." Crossing her arms, she sat back in her chair and glared at the floor.

"Piper," I said. "It could just be nothing, but I'll bring it up with Dad and we'll keep an eye on her, okay? Just in case."

She didn't look at me but said, "Thanks."

"Why?" Will argued. "She hasn't done anything."

I turned to glare at him. "Will, just because you have a thing for her doesn't mean that something can't be off. All our lives we've been taught to trust our guts. Piper wouldn't have come to us like this if she didn't feel it was serious. So, I'm going to look into it."

"I do not have a thing for her," he said angrily. "I just met her once and for only a couple hours."

"Then quit acting like a male whose female is getting dissed."

"Guys," Ava said. "Please." She looked to me. "She may have been adopted into our tribe but really, we don't know anything. Maybe Trey can dig something up on her, okay? The least we could do is check into it. If nothing comes up, we'll apologize, but at least we'll have made sure. Deal?"

His lips tightened but he said, "Fine."

Our food and drinks arrived a moment later. The waitress winked at me and Will. I shifted and smiled uncomfortably. Will smiled, but it was a distracted smile. When she sashayed off, I could see both Piper and Jules looking slightly disgruntled and shooting glares at the girl's back. Ava smiled as she sipped her cappuccino. What was wrong with these girls? Geez. Beside me, Jules mirrored my sister, crossing her arms and sitting back. She normally didn't mind girls hitting on her brother. After a couple years in the high school, she'd gotten used to it and knew that Will wasn't interested in any of them. We'd all heard the story of Aunt Leah, Aunt Emily, and Uncle Sam from one or all of them sometime while we were growing up. All the kids of the pack had had crushes at some point but nobody acted on them. Will was friendly and flirted but he never acted on any of it, not willing to hurt anybody. The same with me. There had been several mutual likes between me and other females, but I couldn't do it. And after I'd phased, I was glad I hadn't.

Lunch was tense, so we all decided to split up. I knew that Piper wanted to be away from Will for now. She was irritated with him. Jules went with her brother as did Ava. I would walk with Piper to let her cool off a little even though I knew that I shouldn't leave Will alone. Either Henry or I had to be with him at all times, but I highly doubted he'd do anything to hurt his family, especially his sister. He'd pull the truck over and have a fit. Also, I knew that Henry's security group was probably in the woods, some of them following the truck in wolf form.

Piper was beside me, huffing in the cold drizzle of April.

I tucked my hands into my pockets. "Piper, you know that you can't keep fighting with him like that. Not right now, while his temper is volatile."

"I know," she said in a defeated voice.

"You could have seriously set him off in that shop, Piper."

"I said I know!" she snapped.

Looking over at her, I frowned. "What is wrong with you? Are you…jealous?"

"No," she said a little too quickly.

"I thought you got over that."

She hugged her arms around her torso. "What if I didn't? What does it matter?"

I sighed. "Piper-,"

"I know. I know. There's every chance he won't imprint on me. Besides, he sees me as his best friend's sister, his sister. Just like you see Jules." She looked up at me with a small smile. "I know you pretend to crush on her so other guys will stay away from her. I just help you play it up."

Before I dig my own grave, I laughed, brushing it off. "You caught me."

"I mean, we all know you used to crush on her. But I guess that's changed, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't look at her the way you used to, all starry-eyed. Now it's protective, like you look at me or Will."

Not meeting her eyes, I nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. They've both been in our lives since forever. We've all been like that." Now, I did look up at her. "And you changed the subject. Don't think I didn't notice that."

Sighing in defeat, she shook her head. "Look, I try to hide it, okay? I know better. You and Jules just know me too well. I don't even know if Will ever noticed."

"Oh, he noticed," I chuckled. "Definitely. Back when you didn't hide it that well."

"But I'm just a sister."

I shrugged, not knowing what to say. As we walked, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry, Pipe. Everything will work out as it's meant to. I promise."

I knew better than to make promises I couldn't keep. But I do my best to see that my sister got everything she deserved.

**JulesPOV**

I kept flicking glances at my brother. So much so that he finally turned and snapped, "What?"

He was tense, knuckles bleeding through the gauze as he gripped the steering wheel too tight. I looked at Ava over my shoulder. She was sitting behind Will.

"Spit it out, Jules," he said angrily.

Crossing my arms and raising my eyebrows, I said, "Don't get grumpy with me, mister. What is it with you? Besides the fact that you're close to phasing."

"Nothing."

"Liar. Why are you so…defensive of the new girl? You don't even know her."

He sighed. "No, I don't. But Piper always judges outsiders so fast, like they're all evil if they weren't born here or the rez. Hunter has nobody else. She doesn't even know if ever had any siblings. She's all alone in a place that she doesn't know. She probably just saw us going into the woods. I'm the one she knows from the school. She probably just wanted to talk to me and followed us. It wouldn't kill Piper to be nice to someone, despite her thing for me. She knows why nothing can happen even if I were to return her feelings. Which I don't. I just see her as a sister, like you, Ava, and the others."

"What about the look that Piper saw on her face?"

"I'll repeat, curiosity. Anyone who knows about the pack wants to see us phase. It's like a bad car accident; you just have to stare. Can we please just drop it? I'm sure Brayden is telling Piper the same thing. She's making a bigger deal out of this than there really is. There's not a problem, okay? Honestly, I don't care about Hunter. I really want to focus on not killing someone, alright?"

Thinking about it that way, he really had a point. "Okay. Okay. I won't bring it up again and I'll talk to Piper, alright?"

He looked over at me, light brown eyes a shade darker because of the dark clouds moving in. "That's it? No "don't nag on my bestie"?

I gave him a look. "Just because Piper is one of my best friends doesn't mean I'll support her when she's wrong. I agree that something could be up, but really, you barely talked to the girl. And right now we have other things to worry about. Like Piper said, the girl knows about the pack. It's not like she walked in on the secret. We need to worry about you and making sure you phase before school starts up again."

"Why before school starts?" he asked.

"Are you kidding?" Ava said, finally chiming in. "It's the start of summer and your phasing…phases. If you don't completely bust before school starts, how frayed are you going to be in those hallways? Especially if you see a guy hitting on Jules? A glare from Ash will be the least of his problems. If anything, we should be trying to piss you off so you can phase and work on controlling it."

He looked in the rearview mirror at her. "But Brayden was okay."

Ava shook her head. "One, Brayden first phased at Christmas break. He had two weeks of no interruptions to acclimate. Two, he's not the future alpha of the pack, Will. Whether you believe it or not, you carry a lot more power. Remember Uncle Jake's story? He nearly phased in the house with Grampa. If you ask me, the amount of anger is just an indication of how much power runs in your blood. You're the son of the alpha male and a half-vampire female. That's a lot of power. And to me, it would make sense that you would be easier to anger than the others even though anger isn't the only trigger."

"Then why is it for us?"

"Because you're dominant, teenage males. Think about it. Dominant guys generally aren't emotional unless it's anger or jealousy. Right now, you have nothing to be jealous about. That leaves anger. You don't get jealous about guys seriously hitting on Jules. You get protective and angry when she says no and they push. You and Piper are constantly bickering. Not exactly anger, but irritation can lead to anger."

"So what are you saying, Ava?" I asked, turning as far as the seatbelt allowed.

She leaned forward to rest her arms and chin on Will's seat. "I'm saying that even though we're family, we can still piss him off to the point where he might phase. Remember Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily? He loved her, imprinted on her, and still…hurt her. And he wasn't the rightful alpha. Uncle Jake had just enough control to get away from Grampa. That was control of the alpha, control that Uncle Sam didn't have. But that doesn't guarantee that you'll be granted the same circumstances, Will. And the point under all of that is, how badly do you want to phase? Uncle Caden forced Uncle Walker to shift by beating the crap out of him. Remember that story? It was the anger that made him shift. If you stay around us and always calm yourself down, you'll draw it out. And once you do phase, I can almost promise you it'll be painful. Well, more so than normal."

Will looked into the mirror again, this time in disbelief. "So you're saying I shouldn't try to beat it back? Just stay angry?"

"If you just want to phase and get it over with, yeah. Of course, Brayden and Henry or the others stay nearby so they can take you down if need be. It's entirely up to you and how miserable you want to be."

"You're a real motivational speaker," Will said sarcastically.

Ava put her hands up and sat back in the seat. "I just say things how I see them. No more, no less." She went to looking out the window while Will muttered under his breath.

But underneath his irritation, I could sense his fear. That fear that we all had that we would hurt someone we loved. I had two fears in my life. That was one of them. The other was that I would never phase at all just like my aunts. Somewhere deep, I knew that Maddox and Ash would phase. They were sons of the alpha. In the legends it was a given that every son, not just the first born, would phase. But not the daughters. Aunt Leah had been the first female. To this day, nobody knew why, or why other females followed.

Secretly, more than anything, I wanted to feel that anger course through me, or some other surge of feeling. I needed it. And every night I prayed to the spirits of my ancestors that it would happen.

**JacobPOV**

Piper and Brayden had gone home ten minutes before I heard the growl of my truck. They'd explained what had happened the night before and what Piper had seen. I could tell she was really worried, but at the same time, I was more concerned the swiftness of Will's anger than I was with a strange girl whom I'd never met and who admittedly knew about the pack.

When Will, Jules, and Ava came in, I sent the girls over to Piper so that I could have a heart to heart with my sons. Maddox and Ash were already at the table. All of the important conversations happened at this table for some reason. Ash moved a set down so that Will was to my left.

I decided to dive right in. "So, Bray and Piper stopped by."

His jaw clenched and he shook his head. "They can't just leave it alone, can they?"

"Will, they're worried about the pack. And honestly, it's a good reflex. The tribe, until I made the decision to bring the wolves into the light, always thought they were legends. The pack stayed separate, alright? But they're also worried about you. They, along with you, are the future of the pack. What do you expect? They want to protect their alpha."

"You're their alpha."

"Son, you can't hide behind me forever. None of you can. You, Jules, the twins," I motioned to them. "One day you're going to be calling the shots. Your mom and I will still be here. If all goes right, we'll be around a very long time like Bella and Edward. But I'll step down when the day comes that prove to me you're ready to take over. That means getting them to follow you. The pack will only follow you so far for being my son. That goes for your siblings, too." I looked around at the three of them. "All four of you will be seen as leaders, even if Will is the alpha in birthright. But you have to prove yourselves worthy. The pack is growing and it makes sense that there is more than one leader."

"It does makes sense," Ash said, shrugging. "It would help keep the tension between us to a minimum, no squabbling for 'the throne' so to speak. Equal power over the pack."

Will looked up. "That's what I've always had in mind. I never wanted the all the power to myself."

"'Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely'," Maddox said.

We all looked at him in surprise.

He shrugged. "What? I pay attention in class…most of the time."

Ash nodded in agreement. "Honestly, Dad, I don't know how you did it to begin with."

I sat back in my chair and took a drink from the long-neck in front of me. "Well, honestly, back then, there weren't that many of us. Sam, me, Seth, Leah, Jared, Embry, Paul, Quil. Not that many at all. I know I haven't really told you much about the pack before your mother came into the picture. I guess I could now."

"Yes, please!"

We turned to see Jules coming through the door. It surprised me that she was actually alone. She hung up her coat and messenger bag at the door before coming to sit beside Maddox, staring at all of us expectantly.

Nessie came downstairs from putting the kids' laundry in their rooms. "That was a rough time for your dad," she said as she sat down at the table, clearly having heard us.

"Tell us, Dad," Jules asked. Her braids were a frazzled mess around her face.

"Well, you know bits like your Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily. Her scars and the imprinting. Your mom wasn't even born yet. Hell, not even thought of. And I was still seventeen. Sam was the first of us to phase because the Cullens had come back from wherever they'd been. Jared, Paul, Embry, Quil. They all followed. I was the last until Harry Clearwater died. Leah and Seth joined us not long after that. The first female and the youngest of us. When I first phased, I was told about the legends and that I was the rightful Alpha. I was…resistant, to say the least. So I refused."

Will frowned. "You can do that?"

I looked at him and leaned over to him. "I wouldn't suggest it. Let me tell you, life has a way of putting you where you belong."

"What do you mean?"

"I was forced to break away from the pack. Bella, your grandmother, had married your grandfather when she was still human. When they came back from the honeymoon, they were very pregnant with your mother." I met Nessie's eyes. She smiled gently. "As half-vampire, she was growing way too fast, taking nutrients from Bella too fast. We didn't realize that she needed blood until it was almost too late. Sam had decided that Nessie was a threat because he didn't know what she would be capable of after birth. He tried to force me into helping kill her." I could see them throwing angry looks around. I sat forward. "Now, before you get all hot under the collar, you need to understand that there was another love triangle."

Jules was the first to catch that. "What? Who?"

Ness and I shared another smile at the epic reaction we were expecting. "Bella, Edward, and me."

"What?!" the four of them exploded.

Nessie laughed. "Remember that your grandmother was seventeen, same as Jake. I mean, they were a year or so apart. My parents met in high school. She came up from Arizona in her junior year. Your father thought he loved her, and fought for her. My mother loved him, too, but as a best friend. Then, she married my father and got pregnant with me. I was born in a matter of weeks. And after my birth, I grew very fast. At nine years of age, I was fully matured. Just remember that as your father rewinds a little."

I smiled at her. "So rewind back to Sam. He'd tried to use 'the voice' on me, but I decided to embrace my birthright, and broke away from them. I managed to warn the Cullens. Seth followed because he was Seth. He always liked Bella and didn't believe in harming humans. And of course, Leah followed her little brother. She'd already lost her father. She wasn't about to lose her brother. Luckily, it didn't come to a war. We would have lost. Nessie grew too big and…hurt your grandmother, fatally. I didn't imprint immediately because I was too concerned with Bella to care about the baby. In fact, I hated the baby for taking Bella's life, for being half of Edward." I took a deep breath and prayed my kids would understand. "After Bella's heart stopped, and after Edward had pumped his venom into her, I still wanted to the kill the baby." Jules gasped. I held up a hand. All four of them were sitting forward, hanging on my words. "I got so close. And then that baby girl looked up at me. I was done for." I snapped my fingers. "Just like that, I'd imprinted. All ties that I'd thought I had to Bella vanished. I no longer felt a pull to her. I still cared for her…but as a friend. Once I imprinted, Sam couldn't touch your mother. It's our most sacred law. And Bella was to be born into the Cullen clan, a vegetarian. It all worked out."

Nessie leaned forward, her hair falling over her shoulders. "Your father had to wait nine years for me to grow and mature. It was a long brutal road when our story really began. We'll spare you the details of the Volturi and Tristan, but a couple or so years after we actually got together," she looked to Will, "you came into the picture. Not long after came Jules. And then Maddox and Ash."

They were quiet for a long time.

"That's so…romantic!" Jules burst out.

Ness and I laughed as her brothers gave her looks.

"What?" she asked. "It is. Like something in a movie or book. So, did you and Grampa hate each other?"

I leaned forward. "Immensely."

"But you still stood by him to protect Mom and Grama?"

"I did. I blamed him for everything that was happening but it was the pull of your mother that kept me close. You see, _I _think that the universe made me believe I loved Bella so that I'd stay close since she was to be the mother of my imprint. And while she was pregnant, I was rarely away from her, because your mom was so close."

My daughter sighed dreamily.

The boys all rolled their eyes.

I winked at Jules but said, "Just you boys wait until you imprint. You'll understand. Everything will fall into place, and you'll wonder how you ever missed it."

Jules was far from done with her questions. "How did Grampa feel when he realized you'd imprinted? He could read your mind, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah he could. Your grandmother was still out from the transformation. But when she woke up and found out…man, he was ready to let her kill me for his amusement. And she would have. I managed to get her to realize she no longer felt the same pull toward me that she'd had before she was pregnant and while she was pregnant. It was all because of Nessie."

"Oh and she hated that nickname," Ness reminisced.

I chuckled. "That's right. She nearly ripped my head off. 'You nicknamed my baby after the Loch Ness Monster'," I imitated. "I remember that. I had to call you Renesmee for a long time until even Edward started calling you Nessie. Then she gave up."

She winced. "It's weird to hear it now. Nobody calls me that anymore. Except for when you're yelling at me or trying to be stern with me. I'm either Mrs. Black or Ness or Nessie. Or hell, Aunt Nessie."

"And Mom," Maddox added. "Now, you'll always be Mom."

She smiled at him warmly. "And Mom. I used to be mommy or momma."

"Hey," Jules said. "I still say momma."

Nessie nodded at her. "That's true. You do."

Jules puffed up with pride.

"Suck up," Will muttered.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're still the momma's boy," Ash fired at Will.

"And you're the baby."

"Hey, what am I?" Maddox asked while Ash rolled his eyes at Will.

"Dad's twin," Ash, Will, and Jules all answered.

Maddox and I shared a look and a frown.

I looked at Nessie, who was grinning and nodding. "What are you talking about?"

Ash leaned around Will to pat my shoulder. "Out of the four of us, Dox looks the most like you. Though he and I are actual twins, his build is heavier and his eyes are the same color as yours. You two look exactly alike."

"It's true." Ness said. "I remember thinking the same thing a few times here lately."

Will and Jules nodded.

Will put his hands on the table and Ness saw the bloodied gauze. "Sweetie, why don't we change the dressing on your hands?"

A moment later, my phone rang. "Hello?"

"Jacob," a woman whispered.

I took the phone from my ear to look at the caller ID. Cricket. "Cricket, is that you?"

"Jacob," now it sounded like she was crying. "I'm so sorry, Jacob."

Her tone made a flutter of panic skitter down my spine. "Sorry? What are you sorry about, Cricket?"

My family stopped what they were doing to turn to me. I'd stood up without realizing it.

I met Nessie's worried eyes as she said her next words. "It's Billy. Jacob, I'm so sorry."

The panic slithered from my spine to my gut and flew to my heart. "How long? When?" My voice was rough with emotion, eyes stinging with the realization of what she had called to tell me, of what she had seen in her visions.

She had to clear her throat a couple times. "A few months. The end of July." I was about to drop the phone when she said, "There's more."

Oh God, what could be worse?

"He knows, Jacob. He's known for a while."

And then I did drop the phone. It clattered onto the table as I fell to my knees.

"Jacob!" Nessie yelled as she darted for me.

"Dad!"

Nessie's arms were the ones that caught me as I fell over into the dark abyss that had been inching over my consciousness since the panic began.

**A Couple Days Later…**

**JPOV**

After I got my shit together, I went down to the rez. I was angry and hurt, but I forced myself into calm before knocking on Billy's door. I had refused to get emotional in front of Nessie and the kids. I didn't even tell them what was happening. After I'd ordered them not to push me, that I would tell them when I was good and ready, they'd backed off. Nessie and Jules had had tears in their eyes because I'd never used that tone with them before. The boys had looked cautious but understanding.

He opened it a moment later and smiled. But he really didn't look well. His breathing was ragged, skin sallow, eyes tired. It wasn't just the tired of sleeplessness but a weariness of life, of the weight of so many daunting years. "Hey, Jake. You know you don't have to knock."

I didn't smile. I couldn't. "I think we need to talk." I raised an eyebrow.

After he understood the meaning, he nodded. "Cricket?"

"Cricket."

He sighed. "Might as well."

Following him in, I tried to swallow the anger. "'Might as well'? So you never planned on telling me? Rachel and Rebecca don't know either, do they?"

Glaring at me over his shoulder, he rolled the wheelchair into the kitchen. "Of course not."

"How long have you known? And don't lie to me, old man."

"That's just it, Jacob. I'm old. My life is ending. That's just how it is."

Slamming a fist into the wood of the doorjamb, I demanded, "How. Long. Have. You. Known?"

My father stared at me through heavy eyes. "A couple months. I had an episode and Charlie took me to a doctor other than Carlisle, so none of the Cullens would know. Other than a heart transplant, there's nothing they can do."

My breathing was ragged from the rage coursing through me. I gritted my teeth. "Charlie knew about this?"

"Yes."

Deciding I'd deal with him myself, I said, "So get the transplant. I'm sure Carlisle can take care of it."

He nodded and went for a cardboard box. It was then that I realized there were several that were packed up. Some had my name on them, other had my sisters' names. He was tying up his affairs.

"I'm sure he could, too. But really, Jacob, let the heart he would use go to someone who truly needs it, someone who hasn't gotten to live their life."

"Dad-,"

He held up a hand. "I've lived mine, Jacob. I have three beautiful children who have given me wonderful, amazing grandchildren. I've gotten to see them grow into young adults. What else could an old man ask for other than to see his long dead wife again? I miss your mother. And it's time for me to go. You have to let me go, Jake."

Tears pooling in my eyes, I fell to my knees next to his chair. He wrapped me in his arms for the first time in years. "Take care of your sisters. And my grandbabies. You hear me?"

I nodded into his shoulder. And I cried.

**Later That Afternoon…**

**JPOV**

Charlie answered the door on the first knock. Billy must have called to warn him I might be on the warpath. He nodded and opened the door wider. "Jacob."

"Charlie." I hadn't even bothered to scrub my face. Fuck it. My father was willing to die for someone else to live. I could be caught crying over it.

We stood in the foyer, facing each other. Sue was standing the doorway to the living room.

Charlie put his hands in his pockets. "I'm sure you have a few choice words for me?"

I swallowed hard. "All I want to know is why you didn't tell me, or Becca, or Rachel. Why, Charlie?"

His eyes were like glass, shiny. "He didn't want any of you to know that he knew ahead of time. And I was willing to keep the secret to my own grave. Hell, I'm getting close, too, Jake. Bella will be burying me soon."

"Why didn't he want us to know?"

"Jacob, son, you and your sisters have families. He didn't want to put that burden on you. If I'd remembered about Cricket, I would have called her and told her not to say anything." He put a hand on my shoulder. "I'm losing my best friend, Jake. I've known Billy since before you and your sisters were born."

And then he pulled me into a tight hug.

"He's ready, Jake," he whispered. "And he's so proud of the man you've become."

I gripped him tight and choked out, "I won't tell Rachel or Becca. They'll try to convince him. They won't let him go."

He stood back and put his hands on either side of my neck. "You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"You'll have to hide your emotions, Jake."

Taking a deep breath through my nose, I said, "I can do it, Charlie. Not that I want to, but I can."

"Have you told Ness and the kids?"

I shook my head. "No, but they know something's up. I'm going to have to. Or at least tell Ness. She'll help me keep my mask on."

"She's a good woman, my granddaughter."

"She is. I guess I need to go tell her."

"You do that, son. If you need anything at all, let me know."

I hugged him briefly. "Thanks, Charlie. Take care of him, will ya? I got a feeling he'll want me to act normal and only come by every now and then like usual."

He nodded, choking up himself. "Yeah. I will."

With that, I knew that Charlie would keep his promise. So I went home.

When I walked through the door, I could hear the kids yelling upstairs. Apparently, they were playing video games unaware that in a few months, their lives were going to change. Their first family death. I hung up the leather jacket Ness had gotten me so many Christmases ago. Back then, it had always seemed like Billy would be around forever, even though Ness and I had had conversations about what our future would hold.

"Jacob?"

I turned to see her standing at the top of the stairs that led down to our bedroom. Even after all these years, she was still beautiful, still made my heart leap and my gut clench. Taking a few easy strides, my legs eating up the space between us, I pulled her up into my arms. She hugged me back, just holding me. Nothing in her touch was a demand. She knew something was wrong, but wasn't going to try to force it from me. I buried my face in her hair and breathed in her familiar scent. The scent of home, of my safety.

There wasn't ever a way to really tell her how much she protected me, how she sheltered me when I needed a moment to be emotional, to let my guard down.

**RPOV**

After a long moment, Jacob pulled back and put me on my feet once more. I studied him before taking his hand. "Come on. Let's get you taken care of. The kids will be at it for a while."

"Once I'm down there, I don't want to come back up for a while. I don't want them to see me like this."

I nodded. "I'll tell them it's get your own for dinner tonight."

Pulling him behind me, I got him down the stairs and closed the door. I'd just gotten the fire going before he walked in. Gently, I walked him to the bed and started undressing him. He seemed distant, eyes focused on something not in this room. I turned away just long enough to pull the covers down on the bed.

"He's dying."

That shocked me into turning around. "What? Who?"

"Billy," he whispered. "That's what Cricket called to tell me. Only a few months left."

Gasping, I put a hand to my mouth, tears racing to the surface and down my cheeks. "What happened?"

He shook his head slowly. "Something about his heart. And he refused to even be put on the transplant list. Or for Carlisle to try something."

Shaking out of my shock for just a second, I crawled into the bed, over the covers and still dressed. I'd need to go check on the kids and field their questions while Jacob slept and recovered. I pulled him down onto the bed and covered him with the sheet. When I pulled him against me, I realized he was shaking, so I tugged the comforter up to his waist as well. Resting my back against the headboard, I maneuvered until his head was in my lap. He curled against me, arms wrapping around my waist.

For a long time, we were quiet. I stroked his hair and neck gently. Still crying, I thought of Billy. He'd always been in my life. Every holiday, birthday, even the births of my and Jacob's children. I considered him as much my father as my own biological father. And now it was time to lose him to something such as illness. I'd always figured that everyone I loved who chose mortality would live healthy until they passed peacefully in their sleep, not knowing when it would happen. Billy knew. He knew his life was ending in only a few short months. Would he still go in his sleep? That was my one hope for him, that he wouldn't suffer. There wasn't going to be talking him into the list. I knew that. He was where Jacob got his stubbornness from. I also knew that Billy missed his wife and was convinced he'd see her again on the other side. That was his spiritual belief, and he was ready to take that step. But saying a final goodbye to him would crush me and destroy Jacob.

"He's dying," Jacob whispered again. "My dad's dying, Ness. And I can't save him."

Jacob gripped me tight and wept his sorrow onto my skin and into my soul.

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**This chapter pretty much destroyed me. Well, then end of it. I can't even...not right now. Please let me know what you think?! I love y'all! xoxoxoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Phew, this is a long one. Nothing truly epic happens here, just a lot of advice to Will and maybe his phasing. Eh, nothing big. Oh and we meet Embry's youngest. She's adorable. I kind of really like this chapter...**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**The End of July**

**RPOV**

Jules was weeping into her father's chest as Sue performed the ceremony for Billy. She was on the council of elders and had been asked to do it. It was fitting that the day was windy on the cliffs with no rain. Jacob's mother hadn't been buried, and therefore neither would Billy. He'd been cremated just like his wife, and his ashes would be released over the cliffs. Our daughter refused to let go of her father, so I stayed back to let them mourn. Will was holding one of my hands; Ash had the other. Maddox was standing with his cousins while their mothers broke down in their husbands' arms. All of the pack was standing behind us, most of the tribe behind them. Walker and Christa were there with their three kids, plus Garrett who had come with Haleigh. Leah, Caden, and their son, Gage, were standing beside them. And to add to their group was Tricia and Embry with their girls. I picked out other members like Jared, Sam, Quil and Claire. Leila was standing with her parents. My family and Grampa Charlie stood to the side. Seth and Shelby with Brayden and Piper were standing close to our family. The two of them had traded places with my kids. Brayden hovered near Jules, but didn't dare try to get her away from Jacob. He was just a strong pillar beside them. Piper was standing on the other side of Will, rubbing his shoulder.

I looked to Jacob. He was holding Jules tightly against his chest, silent tears rolling down his cheeks into her hair, but his eyes were unfocused again as Sue talked about Billy's life and family. Over the last few months that Jacob had had with Billy, he'd secretly helped Billy pack up and tie up loose ends as did Grampa Charlie. Every day he'd come back home from helping with a haunted look in his eyes. And every time, he'd go down to our room and lock himself in. Keeping the secret from the kids and his sisters had been taking a toll on him, but when he did interact, he was especially good at hiding everything. When the rumor had spread that Jacob was depressed and going to Billy for fatherly advice, I'd supported the rumor to help him. The kids were suspicious, but they never questioned it, just asked if there was anything they could do to help.

Thankfully, Billy had indeed passed in his sleep a few days ago, and it had been Jacob to find him. That day, he'd phased and run into the woods. Seth had been the one to come in, tears staining his face, to tell me what had happened. Jacob had just come home yesterday from running. Embry and Seth had come to check on us multiple times, scared the kids would think their father had abandoned them. I knew he hadn't. He'd just needed some time to cope with the loss of his father.

Beside me, finally, Will broke. He laid his head on my shoulder and cried. I cradled his head and kissed his hair, my own tears falling into the black and copper locks. Ash just stood beside us, lip trembling, and his tears slow and steady. Over with his cousins, Maddox wasn't much better. His face was splotchy, eyes rimmed in red while he held Ava and Linley. Dane was wrapped around his legs. Colton and Henry had split up to stand with Rebecca and Rachel. Paul and Tom supported the two women who were sobbing in heartbreaking hiccups.

"Traditionally, the eldest child releases the loved one." Sue glanced at Rebecca. "However, I think Rebecca would agree that it should be Jacob."

Becca sobbed harder, gripping Tom as if she were drowning and he were the last solid thing on this earth to cling to.

Sue looked to my husband. "Jacob?"

He took a deep breath and tried to gently detach Jules from him, but she just tightened her hold, squeezing her eyes closed. Swallowing hard, he bent his head to whisper to her. After a moment, she nodded. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he half carried her toward Sue. He took the jar from her, and she hugged him tightly. Jacob moved with Jules toward the cliff edge. His head bent again. A second later, she lifted her head and reached out to the jar. Together, they tilted it until Billy's ashes fell and were caught by the wind. I watched as they were carried out over the trees and the ocean.

When they turned back, Jacob handed the jar back to Sue. Will and Ash moved for their father, wrapping both him and their sister in their arms. Maddox stayed with his cousins, but I could tell he wanted to join them. Henry carefully pulled him away so that he could. He stopped beside me to hug me and kiss my cheek before moving for his father and siblings. Jacob held the four of them the best he could. Amidst them, he managed to look up at me. I smiled the best I could through my own tears while I let him have his moment with his children. Behind me, my own parents came up to hold me between them. I rested my head on Dad's shoulder. They each wrapped an arm around my waist. My heart hurt for losing Billy, but my soul ached for my husband and children as well as my sisters-in-law and my nieces and nephews.

After everything was done and people passed their respects to the Black children, we managed to get everyone into the SUV. When we got into the house, Jules attached herself to her father once more. My boys looked helplessly to their sister as she clung to Jacob and sobbed. Jacob swung her into his arms and disappeared upstairs. The boys and I sat down in the living room. Maddox and Ash sat on either side of me. Will sat at my feet, head in my lap. It was Ash who comforted Will while I leaned on Dox's shoulder and held Ash's free hand. There wasn't anything to say. We'd all lost someone precious to us. And it was a horrid slap of reality. Mortality was a natural part of life. For the rest of the world, it was the way of life. People were born, lived their lives, and died all the time. My kids were getting their first taste of it. It was real to them now that even though they could live for a very long time, they could still be killed. They weren't indestructible. Nobody was, not even the vampires. We all had to die at some point, but depending on how careful we were would depend on how long we could evade the Grim Reaper. If you were human, you knew that it didn't matter how careful you were. In the end, time won out.

Rachel and Rebecca had wanted to spend some time with their families before coming over, which was fine. We needed some time to collect ourselves, too.

We must have sat there for a couple hours before there was a soft knock on the front door.

"Come in," Maddox called softly.

Whoever it was heard him. It was Piper and Brayden. Piper kissed the four of us on the cheek. "Do you need anything? I could fix some lunch."

We all shook our heads.

"I think we just need some comfort," I said. "Jules is upstairs with Jacob."

She nodded. "I'll go check on them."

"Thank you."

"Mom said to call her if you need anything. Dad put some wolves on Aunt Rachel and Aunt Rebecca."

I smiled up at her. "You're a sweetie. Thank you."

Brayden moved up behind me while Piper went for the stairs. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. "Are you sure you don't need anything, Aunt Ness?"

I patted his arm. "I'm sure, sweetheart."

He whispered into my ear so only I could hear, "Dad sent me over just in case the emotional overload was too much."

I nodded. "Good idea."

Jacob came down a moment later. Craning my neck, I saw him reach for a bottle on top of the fridge. Something stronger than beer. He poured the dark liquid into a small glass and tossed it back. He grabbed a few more glasses and came to set them on the table. Filling them all, he handed them out to us, leaving one behind on the table to represent Billy. I'd never cared much for alcohol, but I joined the boys in a shot. We raised our glasses and tossed them back. It burned all the way down. But it was a comforting feeling, letting me know that I wasn't as numb as I felt.

Jacob refilled for the boys but knew not to refill my glass. I met his eyes with mine and then looked down at Will, still at my feet. He'd already tossed his second shot. I shook my head at Jacob. The last thing Will needed was alcohol to fuel the rage. Over the past couple of months, with knowing something was off with his father, Will had been having issues controlling the anger. Now any little thing set him off. Henry and Brayden would drag him out into the woods, thinking it was time. But he always came back calm and apologetic.

Jacob tried to take the glass, but Will shook his head. "I want another."

"No, Will. You've had enough," Jacob said.

"No," Will demanded. "I want another."

Brayden reached for the glass. "Why don't we take a walk?"

Unexpectedly, Will burst up from the floor with a speed that he'd never before owned. And it was then that I realized he'd grown even more. His shoulders were now as broad as Jacob's, and he was only a couple inches shorter than his father. Taller and broader than Brayden, my son looked like the alpha he was born to be. I also realized that now that he was away from me, I was a bit chilled. Heat was pouring off of him.

He faced off with Brayden, baring his teeth. "I said, no," he growled low. His body was shaking, vibrating with a barely contained rage. This time, I wasn't so sure that there was any coming back from it.

The room went utterly quiet as the two boys faced off. Ash and Maddox sort of moved in front of me, their shoulders brushing as they leaned their torsos over. Despite his sorrow and exhaustion, Jacob shot up and grabbed Will around the shoulders. "Come on. Let's take a walk, son." He looked to Brayden. "You stay here with them." Then he looked to Maddox and Ash. "You two take care of your mother and sister."

After they nodded, Jacob wrestled our son out the front door, leaving us in an electrified silence.

**JPOV**

In my arms, Will was vibrating with heat and anger. It was time.

He ripped himself out of my arms and down the porch steps.

"What's pissing you off now?" I demanded. I made my tone angry to try to boost his anger. It was time for him to phase in a safe environment. I did not want him near Nessie or Jules or his brothers when he decided to finally get angry enough over the fact that his noodles weren't cooked enough or some shit like that.

Angrily, he pushed his fingers through his hair. "Everything! First, you and the pack treat me like a child, following me everywhere. Grampa's gone. And now, I can't even drink with you. You're treating me like a fucking child!"

I didn't even bother with scolding him for the language. It was just the two of us, and God knew that he'd heard me say it enough. "You're angry at mortality? That's life, Will. Shit happens and there's nothing we can do about it! And we don't treat you like a child. We're trying to protect you and the people around you, something a lot of us didn't have. So be grateful. As for the drinking, you're underage. You're lucky you get what you do. So that's not an excuse. Don't throw a tantrum with me, son."

As he shook, his eyes filled with tears, and I knew what they were for.

Reaching out, I pulled him into the first real hug since the night he'd beaten up that kid. "It's okay. I miss him, too, Will. I feel the same anger and the same empty hole that you do."

"How do you deal with it?" he asked clutching at my suit shirt.

"I don't. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that pain reminds you of what's precious. The time you have left and the people you share it with. You have to feel the pain to remember that no matter what you turn into, at your core, you're human. Feelings are a part of being human. Wolves don't feel, Will. They work on basic instinct, but humans don't." Pulling back, I put a hand over his heart. "We _feel_, Will. Yes, losing your grandfather hurts. It's supposed to. But you know what he would say to you right now?"

"What?" he whispered.

"He'd tell us to use the pain to strengthen us. Remember, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. That's not just a pop song, alright? It's true. Fighting Tristan's pack, I learned how weak I'd been and how much stronger I could be. I almost lost your mother so many times. Each time I didn't, I came out of the situation stronger, a better man. Did I feel pain? Absolutely, every time I saw her injured or crying. All three of her pregnancies scared me, I won't lie. Out of the three you were the most normal. The twins scared me the most. But we made it. I'm a stronger man and father because we all made it to the other side as a family."

He shook his head. "I can't, Dad. I get what you're saying, but…I don't know why this is hitting me so hard, but it is."

"He was your grandfather. You loved him. Letting go of the people you love is the hardest task of all. You feel like a piece of who you are is missing. That's how I feel. My dad is gone. I'll never be able to have a father/son chat with him again, never be able to rag on him about his wheelchair or call him 'old man' again. I feel as lost as you do, Will. I've lost one of the last connections to my mother. Granted, I have Sue, but Billy was the only _man_ to know and understand my mother intimately. He could tell me her quirks and what made her mad. Once Sue is gone, it'll be like losing her all over again." I started to choke up and Will pulled away from me, shaking his head over and over.

"I can't, Dad. Just stop. Please." He wrapped his arms around his torso. "Why is all of this happening at the same time? My phasing. Grampa dying."

I walked toward him but he pulled away when I tried to put a hand on his shoulder. I sighed. "Will, life tests us like nothing else."

"I don't care. And right now, I really don't want to hear your life philosophies." And then he turned around and darted into the woods.

A dark shape moved in the brush. It wasn't Henry but I recognized the wolf. Derek dipped his head once before loping off after my son, keeping an eye on him. Adam, Derek, and Rhett had come home from their travels a couple years ago. Before Calahan had died, he'd allowed Rhett to transfer to Walker's pack, and Walker had allowed Adam and Derek to live on the property with Rhett since Rhett had become one of the teachers for the cubs of the pack. No travel for him and more running for Adam and Derek. It all worked out.

"Jacob?"

Looking up at the sky, I sighed. "He took off, but didn't phase. His anger isn't as great as his pain. A pity that isn't his trigger." Turning around, I saw her worried look. "Derek followed him. He'll be alright."

"But where's he going? Brayden and the others are in here."

"Ness, sometimes it's not about running _to_ someone. Sometimes it's about needing isolation and not having someone else tell you how you should feel or how life works."

Her worried eyes studied the woods. "What if he phases?"

I motioned behind me. "Derek's out there. And I'm running patrols tonight. There are others running."

"But-,"

"Leave it, Ness. Please. He's having issues coping with all of it right now. Let him come back on his own."

"Will can take care of himself, Mom," Ash said from the doorway. "He'll come back when he's ready. He's got a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Let him work it out without us breathing down his neck."

Ness looked between the two of us before staring back out at the woods. After a while, she nodded and let Ash take her back inside. He looked over his shoulder at me. I nodded. The corner of his mouth lifted just slightly.

Turning backing around, I did my own staring. As the wind picked up with a coming storm, a sliver of unease slithered into my blood. It was familiar from back before Tristan and Jane had really started their attack on us. With that feeling back, I was more worried about my son than I let on.

Something was brewing, and as always there were only two questions.

What? And when?

**August**

**JulesPOV**

All I wanted was to lay my head down on my desk in homeroom and sleep. It had been a month since Grampa Billy passed away and things were still rocky at home. Will would leave and not come back until early morning hours or when Dad got tired of his crap and dragged him back in. I'd never seen my brother so quiet, so…dull. Out of the four of us kids, he'd spent the most time with Grampa, fishing with him all the time and tinkering with the wheelchair. It wasn't that Maddox, Ash, and I hadn't loved our grandfather. We had. I'd cried for four days straight, had even helped to spill his ashes to the wind. We'd all loved him, but Will just had a special connection to him. It was that connection and the fact that he was close to phasing that caused his strange behavior. We were all concerned about him being back in the hallways again with the bustling students. He was at the point where if someone accidentally bumped into him, he could rip them apart. Dad had gotten permission from the principal to have Brayden shadow my brother in the school. It lessened the tension a bit but not enough to keep my mind off of Will. I made Brayden promise to text me every hour.

Behind me, Piper patted my back. "He'll be fine," she whispered while the teacher finished roll call. We'd already been called so we were just waiting.

"Don't lie to comfort me, Piper. We both know he won't. He's a time bomb just ticking down. We'll be lucky if he makes it through the day. And for goodness sake, if you see the new girl, _be nice_. If Will sees you being rude to her, it could set him off in the hallway."

"Yeah, well, if I see her outside and Will is outside, all bets are off. Brayden could drag him off."

I turned to sit sideways in the desk, looking at her incredulously. "Could you please just drop it? You haven't seen her since that night, unless there's something you aren't telling me. And I haven't seen her since I saw her talking with Will on her tour day."

"Excuse me, Miss Black, Miss Clearwater. Are we having issues playing Quiet Mouse?" Mr. Parker stared down the aisle at us, his glasses perched on the tip of his nose.

The class snickered while I turned back in my seat. "No, sir."

"Good. Then please be quiet so I can finish roll call."

He went back to it and I sat there stewing.

Piper patted my shoulder before sitting back in her chair.

When the bell finally rang, I ran out into the hall. Brayden was standing at the door at the end of the hall, waiting for Will. He caught my eye in the bustle of students and nodded. So far, so good. Piper and I had to split up. I had English and she had calculus. She'd been able to skip the foundations class and was a math ahead of me. Like Ash, I was an English/Lit enthusiast. Math was not a strong suit of mine.

Turning around to go to my next class, I ran into something that squeaked. Books fell to the ground at my feet. I managed to hold onto mine.

"Ohmygod, I am so sorry," a girl said as she knelt down.

Kneeling down myself, I set my books aside to help her with hers. "No, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention. I apologize."

"It's alright. Being the new girl, I was bound to run into someone."

Looking up, I came face to face with Hunter. I'd only caught a glimpse of her before as she'd walked away from Will, but she'd obviously spent some time in the sun. Her hair was a brighter blonde, and her already tanned skin had darkened a few shades. Both made her hazel eyes very green.

She smiled, teeth bright in her tanned face. "Do I know you? I mean, have I met you? You look familiar but I haven't been here long enough to remember."

I shook my head and went back to helping pick up her books. "No. But you met my brother on the last day of school in April."

"Will?" she asked, surprised. "You're Will's sister?"

Nodding, I handed her the stack I was holding as we stood up. "Yeah. I have different coloring than my brothers. Not as dark-complected."

Her green eyes studied me from my head to my feet. "I can see that. He did say you looked more like your mother."

My eyebrows met my hairline. "He talked about me?"

She lifted a shoulder in a shrug. "Just a little. Nothing bad and no secrets. I promise."

Just being near her gave me the creeps. It could have been from Piper's projections of the girl. But no matter what it was, little alarm bells went off in my head. There was a slight lilt to her voice, giving a hint of an accent. It was familiar, but not there enough to let me grasp it. Brayden and I had gone to Trey for a background check. He'd managed to dig up the fact that she checked out. Adoption records and her history at schools in Canada. The only thing he couldn't find was the will that had left her a house on the rez, but that didn't really mean anything if they had kept it old school on paper instead of uploading it to a computer.

Even though I was freaking out inside, I forced a smile, thinking about Will. "Well, that's good. I'd have to kick his butt if he did."

She laughed. "I'm sure you could." Resituating her stack of books, she held out a hand. "I'm Hunter."

I shook it even though I didn't want to touch her. "Jules. It was nice to meet you."

"You, too."

"Welcome to the rez. If you need anything, let us know."

Her smile flashed again. If I were describe it, I'd say it was venomous, just a hint of evil. "I certainly will. I suppose we should get to class."

"Yeah," I said softly as she took off in the direction my brother and Piper had gone.

Gage, Aunt Leah's son, and Tate, Leila's brother, came up beside me. Gage was the younger of the two and looked it. His frame was thin and willowy, like a bean pole, but the broadness of his shoulders indicated he'd fill out eventually. The light brown mop on top of his head was a mix of his father's blond and mother's brunette. And his eyes were a piercing green, apparently the color Uncle Caden's had been before he'd been infected and stayed too long in animal form, making his eyes amber. Tate looked like a typical Quileute boy. Dark skin, hair, and eyes. He was a bit stockier, but that could be because he was fifteen and could start sprouting like a weed any day in preparation for phasing. Between fifteen and eighteen were the magic ages for phasing. Gage would probably start growing soon, too.

"Who was that?" Tate asked.

"New girl."

"The one Piper's been on about?" Gage asked.

I froze and slowly turned toward him. His accent. It wasn't as pronounced as his father's, but it was there, lilting in the same way Hunter's was.

He squirmed, uncomfortable with my scrutiny. "What?"

Staring back to the last spot I saw Hunter, my mind whirled. Honestly, it didn't mean anything, but to my knowledge people didn't have English accents in Canada. And she'd been abandoned when she was a baby, so it couldn't have come from her parents even if they'd come over from Europe. Not to mention, nobody of the Quileute tribe spoke with that kind of accent, except for Gage. Accents were environmental, so Hunter had to have grown up around that accent somewhere. It could mean something or nothing, but my gut was going with something. Mom and Dad had always taught us to trust our guts. Mine was screaming that something was up where she was concerned. Will hadn't mentioned her once after his episode months ago, but Piper would bring her up every now and then.

Looked like I was starting to leave Switzerland and pick a side.

"You okay?" Gage asked.

Mentally shaking myself out of the thickness of uncertainty and dread, I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried, I guess." I turned to them. "So how's sophomore year? Any classes with the twins?"

"Sucks," they said together. They were best friends, and it showed.

"But I have English/lit with Ash. Thank god," Tate said. "I'm more of a science guy."

"I've got geometry with Maddox. Not yet sure who will be tutoring whom."

"Well good luck. I gotta get," I said and started walking. "You two behave!"

They both gave me false innocent looks.

I narrowed my eyes. "You heard me." And then I rushed off for my locker.

**WillPOV**

I trudged down the hallway with Brayden shadowing me. Even though he'd graduated and wasn't supposed to be here, he'd been welcomed home by the lower classmen. Not surprising that he'd been popular with everyone. I got fewer wishes of welcome, probably because I didn't look like I was up for the interaction. Since Grampa Billy's death, I hadn't been able to let go of that emptiness or the shock.

"Will! Oh, sorry. Will!"

Frowning, I turned around. Hunter was making her way through the throng of students, looking a bit frazzled. Her blond hair was in a frizzy knot on top of her head, green eyes shining as she pushed through the other students. I hadn't given her a thought since my and Piper's fight, since Dad had talked to me. On my trips into the woods alone, I'd tried to force the phase, but no matter what I thought about, I couldn't trigger it. And I knew that I'd been followed. Dad didn't care about my fits. He wanted me safe so he had me followed. But not once had Hunter crossed my mind.

She caught up to me, breathing hard and clutching her books to her chest. "Hi," she said breathlessly.

"Hi, Hunter," I said with no enthusiasm as I started walking again. I could see Brayden studying her out of the corner of my eye.

She apparently didn't catch my less than enthused response because she kept walking with me. "I'd hoped we would have a class together. Where are you heading?"

"Government."

"Ooo, me, too!"

"How was California?"

Her nose crinkled. "Sandy. Very. But it was warm and the beach was pretty. Kind of miss it. However all the sand in my car, I could live without."

I managed to force a small smile. My fists were tucked into my jeans pockets, shoulders hunched.

She stopped, putting a hand on my arm. "Are you okay? You seem a little…out of it."

I took a deep breath but Brayden answered for me. "His grandfather passed. Very recently."

Her gasp was sharp. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Will." She motioned behind her. "I just ran into Jules and she didn't say anything. I couldn't even tell something was wrong."

"She's tougher than I am. And I'm going through some other things, too. Like you saw the night of the party." Glancing over at her, I raised an eyebrow.

Sheepishly, she looked away, still walking beside me but not as peppy. "So, Piper told you, huh?"

Brayden spoke up from behind me, studying her closely. "My sister doesn't keep secrets from me."

Hunter looked back, studying Brayden in return. "Your sister, huh? Is everyone related to each other around here?"

Brayden growled. "You know about the pack. We're a tight knit group."

Hunter's expression flickered from concerned innocent to something angry before she tucked it away again. "I didn't mean to offend. It just seems like everyone is saying brother and sister left and right. It's a little confusing."

Stopping, I turned to her. "So why were you spying?" Despite my defending her, I hadn't liked what Piper had told me.

Clearly taken aback, she groped for an answer. "I…I wasn't spying. One of the teachers asked if I was going to the party. I figured you'd be there and we could talk more. When I saw you go into the woods, you looked worried about something."

"Oh, so you care about me now?" I demanded, the hostility clear in my voice. Brayden stepped close enough that he could grab me. I felt the line of heat from his body. And even though it pissed me off, I didn't force him back.

"N-no…I mean, yes, I care. I mean, you were the first person who didn't look at me like I was a freak for being here. And I'm really sorry about your grandfather. If there was something I could do, I-,"

Leaning forward, I snapped, "I don't need or want your charity. Like Piper told you, stay out of our business. You don't want me as a friend or anything more. Trust me on that."

With that, I left her standing there alone to stare after me, Brayden at my heels.

**HunterPOV**

Dammit!

First Jules was suspicious of me, and now Will. And that Brayden. Definitely wasn't fond of him, or the way he'd been staring at me. Maybe my scent wasn't hidden well enough. If not, this wouldn't work. And Brayden's sister. The bitch thought she was so tough, but she was all bark without having sprouted her fangs yet.

For this to work, I needed to get into that group. I thought I'd set the hook deep enough into Will before I'd left, but apparently his sister and Piper were too influential on him. He was my way in, so I had to find a way to worm into his life better. That was going to be difficult with him so close to phasing. If I said the wrong thing, I was in deep shit. His phase would be instantaneous. I'd still be in the middle of my own change while he faced me down in his wolf form.

Looks like I'd be talking to Mel tonight. Awesome.

Sighing, I cracked my neck, put my pity expression back in place, and followed Will and his bodyguard toward my next class.

**JulesPOV**

By lunchtime, I was hungry and nauseated at the same time. Piper was already at the table. Thank goodness we had lunch together. Slamming down my books, lunch, and water bottle, I leaned over the table and hissed, "There is something up with that chick."

She blinked at me. "What do you think I've been trying to tell you?" she said, not missing a beat.

Sitting down, I pulled out my sandwich and chips. "She 'accidentally' ran into me in the hall after homeroom. And those little subconscious alarms went off like the Fourth of July."

"Told you so," she said, taking a bite of her roast beef.

I gave her a look. "And I didn't like the way she was talking about Will. Like they were besties or something. It was weird." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gage and Tate in line. They were at the back. "Oh, and another thing. You were talking about her accent. Gage!" He turned and I motioned him over. He stood beside me, looking at us expectantly. "Talk."

He blinked. "What?"

"Start talking."

"About what?"

"Anything."

Rolling his eyes, he took a deep exasperated breath and started talking about his classes and teachers. While he jabbered on, I watched Piper's expression go from "wow my best friend has lost her mind" to "holy shit".

Nodding enthusiastically, I pushed Gage back toward the line. "Fascinating," I told him. "Thanks."

"But-,"

"Gage, what are you doing, man? Get over here."

Grumbling, he went to join Tate once more.

Piper leaned forward, her short hair escaping from behind her ear. "An English accent?"

"Who's got an English accent?" Ash sat down next to me, pulling out a cold piece of pizza.

I looked around for Dox. "Where's your other half?"

He shrugged. "No lunch together this year. Answer the question." Wrinkling his nose, he picked the mushrooms and onions off the supreme pizza. "I swear he's trying to kill me. It's a wonder he doesn't have gas all day long." Maddox liked everything on his pizza and usually the twins got two to themselves.

"Why not eat from yours?" I asked, laughing.

"Will ate the rest of it last night, and I'm damn sure not going to complain about it where he might hear me. I like my throat and face right where they are, thanks." He took a bite after it was picked to death. "Now," he said still chewing, "you gonna tell me what we're talking about?"

"The new girl," Piper answered. "Remember I said she had a slight accent?" Ash nodded. "I couldn't place it, but knew it sounded familiar. Jules ran into her and said the same thing."

"Yup," I said, sipping my water. "And then Gage came up and started talking. That's when I recognized it. Isn't Canada primarily French speakers?"

He shrugged and swallowed, then took a drink from my water bottle. "Somewhat. I mean, there are several nationalities of course. But didn't you say she was adopted by a Quileute couple, then raised by her adoptive uncle?"

We both nodded with "see? Uh-huh" looks on our faces.

My brother frowned. "Language and accent is highly environmental. That's why Gage has a slight accent. It would be different if he didn't live with his dad. He probably wouldn't even have what he does. But a full-blooded Quileute couple wouldn't have those accents. Even if she'd been born to English parents, she shouldn't have it. I mean, we hang out with Uncle Caden and Uncle Jasper all the time, but we don't come home with English lilts or Southern tilts."

Piper and I laughed at that last. He had a way with words, my brother. He just shrugged as if he hadn't done something funny on purpose, which he hadn't, and finished his pizza. We both worked on my water bottle.

Suddenly Piper ducked down. "Incoming," she whispered.

Following her gaze over Ash's head, I saw Hunter standing a few feet away looking uncertain. "Would you mind if I sat with you? I really don't know anybody else."

Mentally sighing, I smiled on the outside. "Sure."

Ash moved his chair closer to mine so she'd have room to sit between him and Piper at the circular table. Piper huffed and refused to look at her.

Hunter looked to her. "Look, I just wanted to tell you that I'm really sorry…for that night. I wasn't spying. Really. I'd wanted to talk to Will and I saw him dart into the woods looking worried. I thought maybe I could help if something was wrong."

Ash and I shared a look before turning to Piper. She had that attitude expression. Mentally, I begged her not to try to call her out on anything we'd discussed. Our ESP must have worked because she picked up her bag of chips and smiled. Only Ash and I knew that it was as bright and empty as a light bulb.

"Don't worry about it. I should apologize, too. I was just worried about my _really _good friend. We've known each other all our lives so we're all a bit protective of each other."

Hunter lifted her hands. "I completely understand. My uncle told me that the pack has always been an entity in and of itself. And with my fascination with wolves, I figured that you'd all be close. That's how packs are."

Piper leaned forward. "Then you're aware that we take care of anything that threatens one of our own."

Hunter's smile died as she glanced at the three of us. When Ash and I didn't say anything to counter that, Piper sat back, still smiling and munching happily. It was an evil happy, but happy nonetheless. If she were shorter, she'd be swinging her feet like a little girl.

Ash decided to step in. "So, Hunter, we haven't met yet." He held out his hand. "I'm Ash. Jules's brother. One of them anyway."

Hesitantly, she took his hand and smiled. "You obviously know who I am. Will told me a little about his brothers. You have a twin, right?"

He nodded. "Maddox. He's the older out of the two of us by about five minutes." He sat back, popping open a giant bag of peanut M&M's. They were a weakness of his. "I'm curious about your accent." I stiffened, but he put a hand back over my knee, squeezing a little before going back to munching on dessert.

She looked surprised almost as if she were about to ask "what accent" before she stopped herself. "What about it?" she asked instead.

"Did you grow up around people with English accents? I mean, I know you had a Quileute adoptive family, so it couldn't have been from them. Did you spend time in Europe?"

To my surprise, she answered quite skillfully. If it was a lie, I couldn't tell. "Actually, after my uncle died, I did go to Europe. That's why I'm taking my senior year now. I'm eighteen soon to be nineteen. I took a year off, looking for my birth parents. My adoptive parents had told me that they were from England, so I traveled Europe for a while."

Ash, listening intently, asked, "Did you find them?" I knew he was studying her. Ash was one to wait and listen, paying attention to his surroundings. And he loved psychology. While I liked to read paranormal romance, he had stacks of psychology and sociology books. He was watching her for any telltale signs of lying.

Her expression tightened, eyes going to the table. "They died. A long time ago."

Leaning forward, he put a hand over hers. "I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost my parents, adoptive or no."

She smiled sadly. "Thanks."

"Did you have any siblings?"

This time, the smile was amused. "You sound like your brother."

He smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. But to answer your question, no, I don't think I did. If I do, I can't find them."

"So, you're still looking?" My dear brother had a way of talking to people, of getting them to talk to him, to open up. He was one of those quietly dominant people. It was amazing to watch him interact.

Absently, she picked up her lemonade bottle and swirled it around. "I met some of my birth parents' connections while looking for them. None of them were aware of any siblings, but they promised to look. They said my parents sort of dropped off the radar after giving me up. According to them, my parents didn't want to let me go, but had to for some reason. Nobody knows why. They seemed happy to have a baby."

Ash sat back, studying her while she wasn't looking. He frowned, like he couldn't quite grasp something. But when she looked up at him, he slid on an easy smile. "I'm sorry about your troubles, but hopefully someone will turn something up."

"Thanks."

"What are you doing?" We all looked up as a shadow fell over the table. Will was standing there, arms crossed over his chest. Brayden was standing close behind him. "I thought I told you to butt out," he said. And I realized he was talking to Hunter.

At first she just stared up at him, looking hurt. But then she gathered herself. "I wasn't aware that your family was off limits. You said that I didn't want _you_ for a friend or otherwise. I happen to like Ash. Besides, we weren't talking about the pack, so you can't say I was spying."

Piper coughed her drink back into her cup. Her wide eyes met mine, eyebrows in her hairline.

Will looked to Ash. He shrugged. "It's true. We were talking about her."

I patted the chair on my other side. "Come on. Join us."

He looked around the table, then shook his head. "No." Then he looked to Ash. "Let's talk. Outside. Now."

Ash turned back to look at me.

"Don't look at her. I said I want to talk to you. Now."

Ash held his hands up. "Okay, okay. I'm coming. Jules-,"

"I'll take care of it," I said referring to his lunch trash.

Hurriedly, Ash stood up and followed our brother toward the door that led outside. Unfortunately, they were stopped by one of Will's human friends. The kid just grabbed Will's elbow and turned him around. And if that wasn't bad enough, he put a hand on my brother's shoulder. Ash and Brayden moved around him, standing to the sides.

"Sorry?" I heard Will say.

"Uh oh," I whispered, realizing the kid must have said something about Grampa Billy.

Will stepped back, shrugging the hand away from his shoulder. "Sorry is not going to bring him back, now is it?"

It was then that everything slowed down for me. I saw clearly as Will pulled his arm back, hand going into a fist. Ash saw it, too, and dove in front of the kid. Everything sped back up as Will's arm snapped forward, fist catching Ash's jaw and temple. Ash flew back as I jumped out of my seat.

"Ash!" I yelled as he landed on the tile floor and slid all the way back to the table. Rushing forward, I knelt down beside him. His lip was busted, eye already swelling up. Pulling him into my lap, I looked up. Brayden had his arms wrapped around Will, who was snarling and baring his teeth. The cafeteria had gone utterly silent. Kids were standing up on their chairs to see over the other kids. Teachers had started to stand from their own seats but had frozen when they'd seen who it was. All around, phones and cameras were being held up. "Brayden! Get him out of here! Now!"

He met my eyes before dragging Will out the door. I prayed somebody was in the woods watching so that Brayden wasn't alone in this.

I looked down to my brother. "Ash? Can you hear me?"

He tried to smile but grimaced instead. "I'm still conscious if that's what you're asking. Is he going to phase?"

Choking back my tears, I wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "I think so," I whispered before looking back up at the door. The other kid was standing there, blinking as if wondering what had just happened.

"Then you should go."

"What?" I asked looking down at him in disbelief.

He swallowed hard, sat up, and winced, putting his fingers to his lip. "He'll need you."

"You need me."

"No, what I need is an Aspirin and an ice pack." His black eyes met mine. "You're the only one who's ever been able to get through to him, Jules. Having you close will calm him down so that he won't rip through the others. You know him. The anger won't abate just because he's phased. If he's going to at all." He put his hand to his head. "Go. I'll be alright. Piper will take care of me."

Speaking of, she knelt on the other side of him. "He's right."

After meeting her eyes for a long moment, I stood up, slung my bag over my shoulder, and looked at Hunter. She was still sitting in her seat, eyes wide. We met gazes for just a moment before I turned and ran for the door. Before I could get there, a tall, slender woman moved in my way.

Skidding to a halt in front of her, I barely managed to not bowl her over. "Ms. Channing-,"

The principal crossed her arms. "Where do you think you're going?"

Breathing hard, I clutched the strap of my bag. "Please, Ms. Channing. I need to get to my brother."

"You need to go to class, Miss Black. One student has already fled the school without permission. I'll not have another added to the list, especially his sister."

Beyond irritated, I stepped closer and lowered my voice. "You just saw what Will did. If you really care for him and all the students, you will let me out that door. Lives might depend on it. Want to feel useful? Take care of Ash. He needs an ice pack and Aspirin. Please, Ms. Channing. Move." What I wanted to say was that I'd move her myself if I had to because I was getting out that damn door.

But forceful action on my part wasn't necessary. She didn't look happy about it, but she moved. Darting past her, I threw open the door…and stopped. The grounds were empty of students because of the rain. Will and Brayden were nowhere to be seen and they hadn't left a trail behind.

"Come on," I whispered. "Just a little sign."

And then I saw it. The flash of golden fur. Without another thought, I ran for it across the school grounds. At the edge of the woods, Will's bag and its contents were scattered in the brush. Blood drops were spattered here and there on the leaves. Movement made the shrubs shake. Turned out that the wolf was Aunt Tricia. And she was bleeding. Long gashes had been opened up on her muzzle and just under her eye.

"Dammit, Will," I whispered, hurrying toward her. I reached out a hand toward the fur of her neck. "I'm sorry, Aunt Tricia. Are you okay?"

She ducked her huge head and rubbed against my hand. Deep into the woods, growls echoed far away.

"I've got to get to him," I breathed.

Aunt Tricia went low to the ground, offering her back.

"Are you sure?"

She yipped at me.

"Alright, alright." Gripping her fur, I slid a leg across her back. She took off as soon as I was settled. More than used to riding a wolf's back, I was able to dig my cell phone out of my pocket and call Dad. The phone rang twice before he answered. "Dad! Don't talk, just listen. Will had an episode at school and almost hit another kid. Instead Ash got in the way. He's fine, busted lip. But Brayden had to drag Will out. I think he phased. Aunt Tricia's bleeding. She's taking me to Will as I speak. Call Mom. She might need to get the house ready if I can talk him down and he phases back. But Dad, we might need you to use your tone on him. 'Angry' is an understatement."

"Breathe, baby girl," he said. "I'll do what I can."

"Wait, Dad."

"Yeah?"

"Let me try to talk him down first. You know how he is. He's angry and he's staying that way, phase or no phase. He won't appreciate the alpha voice. Please."

Silence. Aunt Tricia was still running, dodging roots and low branches. Being on her back, I still had to duck or lean a few times.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, do what you can, but don't get in his way. You hear me?" The edge of the alpha tone cut his words.

I swallowed hard. "Yeah, I hear you, Daddy."

"Good girl."

We hung up just before Aunt Tricia skidded in the dirt. These woods were filled with all kinds of clearings and meadows. We burst through some thick shrubs and into a meadow filled with tall grasses that reached up to my hips. I knew how tall they were because I slid from the golden wolf's back as soon as we broke through. A ring of wolves stood there, guarding two wolves in the middle. One of them was Brayden. The other I'd never seen before.

"Will," I breathed.

He was beautiful. Smoky black with a dark grey mask. He was massive compared to Brayden's tawny brawn.

Moving toward the circle, I reached the first wolf. It was white with amber eyes. Uncle Caden. The wolf next to him was Aunt Christa. I squeezed between them. As soon as they realized I was there, they tried to hold me back, Aunt Christa nipping my bag. To avoid her, I slipped out of it and left it at her paws. The whole time, I had eyes on the two wolves in the center. Will was crouched down, ears flat, hackles raised. He was growling at Brayden, who was sitting on his haunches, watching Will carefully. He showed no signs of aggression, which was pissing Will off even more. Slowly, I walked over to Brayden. Will's eyes snapped to me and he snarled. Brayden was up and in a defensive position a second later, snapping at Will, the calm having melted away in an instant.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Bray. He won't hurt me." Then I looked to my brother. "Will, it's me. Jules. I'm not going to hurt you. You know I won't." Shakily, I moved forward very slowly, my hands out in front of me. He growled again. "Will, listen to me." His eyes were the same toffee color, and I kept my gaze locked with his. "If he hasn't already, Dad's going to phase. If you don't calm down, he'll use the voice on you to make you stop. I know you're still angry. I don't blame you. All of this is happening so fast, and the anger isn't who you are. And that knowledge pisses you off, doesn't it? It just adds to that anger that isn't you, making everything worse. You think you're alone; that's why you run off at night. You don't think anyone can understand your pain so you don't talk to anyone. But I'm telling you that each and every one of these wolves has lost someone to mortality, to illness or accident. It happens, Will. If we were human, it's what would happen to us, and we would live with that knowledge. This isn't any different. We have to live with the loss, and it is okay to be angry. Nobody is blaming you. But eventually, you have to let it go, big brother. Let it go, or you're going to hurt someone. Do you even remember what you did back at the school?"

With each word, I moved a little closer; and with each word, his hackles lowered a little more, eyes becoming uncertain. Now he hunched down, not as if to lunge, but as if he were cowering. I took bigger steps toward him, Brayden shadowing me. Will's eyes snapped to him and the hackles rose once more.

I looked over my shoulder and glared. "Would you back off?" I hissed. "He won't hurt me."

Grudgingly, he did as I asked, circling around before sitting down. But his eyes stayed alert and watchful on Will.

I turned back to Will, arm outstretched, fingers almost brushing his black fur. "Do you remember?" He whimpered, hackles down again. "You almost hit a kid for giving you condolences for Grampa. Ash put himself in the way. You hit our brother in your anger. Is that something you want to do again? Do you want to be so angry that you hit Maddox next? Or me? Or Mom? You've phased now. If you hit one of us while we're still human, you could break our necks. Luckily, Ash is tougher than a normal human even though he hasn't phased and you were still barely human. If you'd actually hit that kid…Will, please. For me. Just breathe. Don't...please don't be the monster. Just because you're a wolf now, just because you've joined the pack, you're still human with morals. If anyone can control this, it's you. You're my big brother, the first born son of the alpha." Tears pooled in my eyes as I finally made contact with him. I dug my fingers into his fur and pressed my face just behind his ear, whispering, "You're my hero, Will. Please don't become the villain."

For a long moment, I prayed and cried into his fur. Will was rarely angry, and when he was, he could hold a grudge like nothing else. But he hated the anger. Dad had once explained that a lot of alphas had had the same problem. The anger protected them from making soft decisions. The problem was learning to control it. Controlling it meant finding something that grounded you, something that kept you human in your wolf form. I was praying that Will's need to keep the family safe would be his anchor.

After a couple heartbeats, his tense body relaxed and leaned into mine. Taking in a relieved breath, I hugged him tightly to me. Instantly, the tension in the meadow dropped to nothing. The circle of wolves broke apart but stayed in the meadow just in case. Brayden stayed where he was, watching us. I just held onto my brother for what felt like hours. Somehow, I'd gotten to my knees, still holding him with him laying down in the grass. I could tell he was tired by the way he was breathing, a steady thrum under my fingers.

However long later, I felt another presence nearby. A cold nose pressed into my hair. Opening my eyes, I saw Dad in wolf form standing over us. I smiled weakly. "Hey, Daddy."

Bending down, he snuffled in my hair before licking my cheek.

Giggling, I said, "I'm fine, Daddy."

A rustle sounded in the shrubs and then Mom came through. She gasped, running for us. Her copper hair flew behind her like a flag warning everyone to get out of her way. Going to her knees, she wrapped me in her arms, kissing my temple before leaning over Will's head. She was so emotional that, as she touched me, I could see flashes of her thoughts. How worried she was, how scared when she'd gotten the call from Dad.

She kissed his muzzle. "You scared the life out of me, kid," she whispered. "We are so having a long conversation once you phase back and rest." I laughed but it was choked off when she turned her chocolate eyes to me. "And you, young lady-,"

"I know, I know. I'm getting a talk, too."

"Damn straight, you are. You could have been hurt, Jules."

Reaching out, I took her hand. "I know, Mom. You can yell at me later. I promise I'll give you the whole teen package. Eye rolls and attitude."

She huffed and sniffled. "Deal."

Chuckling in his wolf way, Dad moved around to stand in front of us, nudging Will gently. Will groaned and managed to get up on his feet. Mom helped me to mine. We clung to each other, tears rolling down our faces. Standing, Will was as tall and broad as Dad's russet form. Seeing them like that, standing side by side, was an amazing site. And I wanted more than anything to phase, to stand with them. All around us, the other wolves formed another circle and went low to the ground in a cohesive submissive position. They were bowing to their alphas.

Dad looked to Will and nudged him toward the woods.

"Wait," I said. When they turned back, I looked at my brother. "Are you okay?"

Slowly, he came over and lowered his muzzle, snuffling behind my ear. Laughing, I squirmed. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll see you at home, okay? And don't worry about Ash. I promise he's fine. You know how secretly tough he is."

His eyes turned sad.

I rubbed my fingers between his eyes. "It's okay. He understands. Go run with the pack. You have to tell me all about it."

He snuffled and licked my palm before turning around and following Dad. The others followed after them. It was Uncle Caden and Aunt Tricia who stopped to sit beside me and Mom.

Mom squeezed my shoulders. "Come on. Let's go wait for them at home. You can tell me what happened. Your father wasn't big on details."

I chuckled. "Neither was I."

She rolled her eyes. "Father like daughter."

"Duh. I'm a daddy's girl."

The two wolves escorted us back home after I grabbed my bag. Man, this was a rough day.

**The Next Day…**

**WillPOV**

Slowly, painfully, I sat back against the couch cushions. Leaning my head against the back of the couch, I closed my eyes and tried not to think about how much my body hurt. Phasing into the wolf felt like years' worth of stretching, but phasing back was like stuffing a pillow into a too small box. Fucking painful. It felt like there was something inside me moving around trying to find a comfy spot. Every now and then, my limbs would involuntarily twitch.

"Here."

Cracking open an eye, I saw steam floating up from a mug in my sister's hand. Familiar with the brew from the night before, I greedily took it while she gently sat down next to me. I took a sip and some of the pain disappeared. Thank God for witches. Jules found Mara fascinating and had studied herbal remedies since she could understand what that even meant. If Mara wasn't available for remedies, Jules would do in a pinch.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a freight train. Twice."

She laughed. "Well, last night was –what? - four times? So twice is an improvement."

My turn to laugh, and I wished I hadn't. "Oh please. Don't."

Jules grinned. "Sorry."

"No, you're not."

Now she just shrugged. I knew she was dying to interrogate me, but Mom was here. My sister knew me well enough to know that I wouldn't want to talk about it with an audience even if said audience was out of the room and trying not to listen in. But Mom being Mom understood her kids and understood that we'd want to talk. So she came up the stairs a couple minutes later with her purse, jacket, and car keys.

"You guys need anything? I'm gonna run some errands in Port Angeles."

Jules and I shook our heads.

Mom came over to kiss our cheeks. "Okay, well you two be good. No partying. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Jules smiled. "Mom, we'll be fine. Brayden is across the lake and I'm sure Henry is running around. Or Leila. Someone is near this house. Besides, Will won't hurt me. He can't even move."

I held up the cup of herbs. "True story, Madre."

Rolling her eyes, she opened the door. "Call me if you need anything. Or Jacob if it's an emergency. Love you."

"Love you, too!"

And then she was gone. We stayed quiet for a long time. It was a school day but Mom and Dad had let us stay home. I could barely move and Jules was still kind of in shock. Plus, I needed someone to help me around, and Brayden needed a break from my ass. Maddox and Ash had gone to school so that they could grab our assignments. Ash had gone because he knew that it hurt me every time I looked at his split lip and badly bruised temple. Knowing I hurt him killed me. He was my baby brother; I was supposed to protect him, not beat him.

"You're thinking about Ash again, aren't you?" Jules asked quietly. She stretched out her arm across the back of the couch, fingers playing in my hair. She rested her head on her arm.

"Maybe," I said, taking another sip. The pain ebbed even more.

"He's not mad at you, Will. He understands."

"That's not the point, Jules, and you know it. He's our baby brother. It shouldn't have come down to that."

"Hey," she said. "Look at me." When I did, her aqua gaze met mine. "I meant what I said yesterday. Just because he hasn't phased, doesn't mean he isn't tougher than a mere human. If you would have hit that other kid, serious damage could have been done. It could have been a lot worse than a bruise and a split lip, alright?"

I managed a shrug. "If you say so."

"I do. Now," she hopped on the cushion, getting closer to me. She tucked her knees up and rested her chin on them. "On with the good stuff. Tell me what it was like."

Chuckling, I moved to sit up, wincing. "It was…intense. You know when people talk about a boiling rage? Well, that's literally what it felt like. I just boiled until…until I exploded. And when I came back to earth, I wasn't human. Let me tell you, if you think your senses are good now, just wait. Everything was sharpened. In that meadow, I could hear you running out of the school. If the wind blew just right, I could scent you through the trees. Honey and orange. That's what you smell like."

The look of amazement and longing on her face was both amusing and scary.

Looking over at her, I reached over and took her hand. "How did you know?"

She blinked. "Know what?"

"That I would still be angry."

She shrugged, her fingers playing over mine. "Will, I know you. Just because you phased didn't mean you weren't still hurt and angry over Grampa. In fact, I'd have bet that the anger turned aggressive once you phased. When your rage exploded, it was given better means to cause damage. In your human body, your anger had nowhere else to go so you were frustrated but not violent. Given claws and fangs, there wasn't anything you couldn't do." She lowered her eyes and voice. "I didn't want you to hurt anyone else. And I knew you wouldn't hurt me."

"But I hurt Ash. What made you think I wouldn't hurt you?"

Taking a deep breath, she licked her lips. "Ash jumped in from out of nowhere; didn't give you time to react or even realize it was him. I knew you wouldn't hurt me after you processed who I was and the sound of my voice. Not only were you still carrying that anger, but you were also feeling fear. It has to be at least a little scary to realize that you've changed into a big animal. Despite what other people think, I don't say that we're all animals. Out in the wild, animals work on instinct, and they're neutral until threatened. But humans? Every day we're conflicted over something. Head or heart? Logic or feeling? To just instantaneously change into a body that's supposed to have a neutral, instinctive mindset must be…terrifying. And at the same time exhilarating because you realize that you have all this power; power that your human self just can't carry."

For a long time, I just gazed at my sister. She was drawing designs on the back of my hand with a pen she'd had in her hair. Sometimes I looked at her and thanked whatever god or spirits were out there that Mom and Dad had wanted more than one kid because she was my other half. Like Ash had Maddox, I had Jules. And I needed her. She had always been able to talk sense into me even if she repeated exactly what someone else had tried to say. It had always been me and her taking care of the twins. But what I loved most about her was that she never gave up on us. When we'd be our typical guy selves and not talk about things, she forced us to talk. Most of the time she'd just sit there, staring at us expectantly until we spilled our guts. Other times, she'd jabber at us until we went nuts and gave in. And she always gave the best advice, probably because she hung out with Dad all the time, hearing him talk on pack problems. He always agreed that he'd have said the same thing.

She looked up from completing the drawing and smiled. "There."

I looked down at my hand. In ink, the outline of a wolf howling at the moon covered most of the back of my hand. She was the artistic one, always doodling and helping us with school projects. Mom had given her a camera one year for her birthday. Pictures and drawings covered just about every inch of wall space in her room.

Tilting her head, she studied her work. "When do you think Dad will let you get the pack tattoo?"

I shrugged. "Probably after I turn eighteen. Got a week. Jules?"

"Hmm?"

I met her gaze and had to clear my throat before speaking. "I'm really happy that I have you."

Her expression softened. Gripping my hand, she kissed my knuckles and pressed the back of my hand to her cheek. "Oh, Will. I'm happy to have you, too. I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again. I'm _always _here for you, Will. There's nothing that you can tell me that will make me judge you for any reason. You're my big brother, and I love you. You take care of me and the twins, but you need someone to look out for you. I'll gladly do that."

Before I could stop it, my emotions all flowed to the surface. Since it was just us, I let the tears pool and fall, all the while gripping her hand. "I miss him. So much."

Leaning forward, she wrapped me in her arms, and pulling me against her pressed my cheek to her shoulder. "I know, Will. I miss him, too. And it's okay to hurt, to feel the pain. It's what makes us human. You didn't cry much at the funeral like you should have. Now's the time to let it out, Will. You need to allow yourself to feel the agony of loss. Please."

It was so close to what Dad had said that I just fell apart, letting it all out. Again, she'd repeated what he'd said, but the words coming from her had more of an impact on me than when Dad had said them. The whole time, Jules held me, rocked me. Her fingers stroked my hair, neck, and back while she whispered and hummed. With my new senses, I could smell her tears, but not once did her breathing hitch. She was being strong for me, being my rock in a world that was churning and rocking, knocking problems out of the woodwork and hurling them at me.

"I meant what I said, Will," she whispered into my hair. "You're my hero and I am so proud of you. Let it go, big brother. Just let it all go. Grampa loved you. He was proud of you, and you know he wouldn't want you to be sad for him. He's with Grama now. Let him go be happy without worrying about us. We'll see him again someday but right now, we have things to do here. The pack is looking to you now. Show them that strength can grow from mourning, from tragedy. Be the alpha Grampa always knew you could be. The alpha _I_ know you can be. I'll follow you anywhere because you're my hero."

Her words soothed and comforted me to the point that I just started weeping. I sagged in her arms, letting her soft strength cage me, feeling no shame in the fact that I was crying all over her.

Eventually, though, my tear ducts went dry, leaving me weak and exhausted in my sister's arms. Managing to push myself up, I sat up and leaned back where I'd started, head against the back of the couch. Something soft wiped at my eyes and face. Jules was cleaning up the remnants of my breakdown with her hoodie.

I chuckled and pulled away. "Some hero I am, huh?" Reaching over, I wiped away her tears.

She let out a choked laugh and pushed my hand away, replacing it with the sleeve of her hoodie. "Of course you are, stupid," she said, leaning back against the arm of the couch and gently kicking me in the thigh. "You don't have to always watch over us, feel responsible for us, but you do. You want to protect us." She poked my side with her toes. "Heroes don't always wear capes or masks, big brudder."

I chuckled, grabbing her foot and tickling her.

She jerked back. "Hey! Uh-uh. I don't think so." I kept on. "Sssstop!" she said in a hissing laugh and throwing herself back into the couch arm.

"Nope." I was stronger in human form now that I'd phased. She could jerk all she wanted, but that foot wasn't going anywhere.

Squirming and laughing, she writhed on the couch. "I swear to God, Will! Stop! If you like your teeth in your head, stop!"

There was a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" I called laughing and still tickling her.

The door opened and Brayden stuck his head in. "You two okay in here?"

"Bray!" Jules screamed. "Make him stop!"

While she was distracted, I pulled her legs into my lap and leaned over going for her sides.

"No!" she screamed, throwing her arms down to try to push me away.

Laughing, Brayden walked over to stand over her. Grinning, he shook his head. "Nah, this is your problem. Now if he was killing you, sure."

Her palms were pressed against my face, pushing me back. "Bray, do me a favor and grab her arms."

"Don't you dare!" she gasped.

Brayden leaned over the arm of the couch and her head to grip her wrists, pulling her arms back over her head. He held tight to her hands, keeping them pinned against his chest.

"Oh, you are both dead," she yelled, bucking her body as I kept hitting her ticklish spots. She was wearing shorts which made it easier to reach the backs of her knees.

I laughed with her while she squirmed and wriggled under my hands. After this, I'd be lucky to get the herbal tea for the pain from her, but it was worth it. Seeing her smile and laugh like this always made me relax a little. She was always open and smiling. When she wasn't, I always felt like I was the one to disappoint her. Usually, it was the twins who helped me pin her down, but Brayden and I were now enough to do the job. He held her down easily despite the bite of her nails in his skin, and he laughed when she threatened to neuter him in his sleep.

The door opened again, spilling the twins into the house.

"What the hell are you two doing to her? We could hear her outside," Maddox said.

Ash was beside him, laughing. I winced just looking at him, but he winked at me when he saw my expression. Jules was right. He wasn't holding anything against me. Ash wasn't the type to hold his emotions back. He always told us how he really felt about everything.

"Dox!" she gasped. "Get them off me! I gotta pee!"

Maddox just crossed his arms and frowned. "And how would you like me to do that? They're both wolves now. I mean, I suppose I could get the crowbar," he said, feigning concentration. "But that's in Dad's truck."

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Ash moved forward. "Let her go, guys. When has she ever lied about having to pee?"

Brayden and I shared a look and smile before we let her go. Jules hopped off the couch and squeaked all the way to the bathroom, slamming the door. Chuckling, Brayden moved to sit where she'd just been. "So it looks like you're feeling better," he said to as the twins put down their backpacks and sat down on the floor to take out game controllers.

I rolled my shoulders and popped my neck. "A bit. She gave me some of that herbal tea stuff."

He nodded in understanding. "Ah, yeah. That stuff was the shit, man. Think you'll get anymore after that episode?"

Laughing, I shook my head. "Nope. I guess I'm s.o.l., huh?"

"Please," Ash scoffed, attention on the TV. "It's Jules we're talking about. She'll always give us what we need no matter how badly we piss her off."

Behind us, the door to the bathroom opened. Jules, looking very relieved, came around and sat next to Brayden, scowling at me.

"What?" I asked innocently.

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you."

I motioned to Bray. "He helped hold you down!"

"Yeah, but you instigated, you instigator." After sticking her tongue out at me she turned to the TV. Watching the twins play Halo, she brought her knees up to her chest, hugging them, and leaned against Brayden.

She didn't see the look he gave her. But I did. Glancing up, he caught me watching him. While we'd been phased out, I could tell that he was hiding something, but not what. It was like Dad said: apparently, the hybrids had the ability to hide their thoughts. Briefly, I entertained the question of Grampa Edward being able to read his mind, but no. If Brayden went through that much trouble to keep it hidden, it was his business to deal with. He may have told Jules that he was keeping up with the crush thing to keep the other guys off of her, but there was something more. I could see it in the way he looked at her. He always managed to hide it when she looked at him. Now, he silently pleaded for me not to say anything, slightly shaking his head.

There was another knock on the door before Piper came in with Ava, Gage, and Tate. As they made a noisy entrance, I looked back to Brayden and nodded once, letting him know that his secrets were safe with me. He was a smart guy and could handle his own issues.

Piper plopped next to me. "How ya feelin'?"

"Better, thanks to Jules."

"The tea?"

I nodded. "Stuff is amazing."

Jules leaned forward to look around her best friend. "Do you need more?"

From the floor, Ash said, "Told you so."

I fired a pillow at his head. Gently.

They all laughed as Ash flipped me off over his shoulder, eyes still on the game.

Piper picked up my hand and studied the wolf drawing. Due to my mother, my skin wasn't as dark as hers, more of a golden russet. I really wished I could like her as more than a sister, imprint on her, but it didn't happen when I met her eyes. They were just a beautiful emerald green. They didn't move me in the way of romantic notions. Imprinting on Piper would have made my life easier. Now I had to walk around wondering when it would happen.

"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered and smiled up at me.

Gently pulling my hand out of her grasp, I put that arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "Me, too."

After a moment, she pulled away, eyes a little sad. "So," she said in a peppy tone. "Did Jules tell you about the new girl?"

I frowned. "Hunter?"

Mhm," she nodded.

Leaning back, I gave Jules a look behind Piper. She shrugged in an "oops" sort of way. "No," I said, glaring at her, "she didn't."

"Well, we figured out her accent."

Beside Ash, Gage groaned. "You're not gonna make me talk again, are you?"

Frowning again, I looked from him to the girls. Brayden held up his hands like he had no idea what was going on, either.

"Did you hear that?" Ash asked. "Gage's accent sounds like a certain new girl's, doesn't it?"

Surprised, I just thought, yeah it did. And so Piper, Jules, and Ash went into explaining about the accents and what it could mean. When Ash told me about the conversation he'd been having with Hunter before I'd rudely interrupted, Piper scoffed and snorted through it all.

"What part of that is hard to believe, Pipe?" Dox asked. "It sounds reasonable."

She shrugged beside me. "I don't know. It's not that it's hard to believe. I just don't like her. My good vibes go into hiding when she's around or talking."

"Well," Ash said, "it didn't seem like she was lying. Nothing stood out. It's hard to fake anger or that much anguish."

Piper crossed her arms. "I don't care what you say, Mr. Know It All."

Ash shook his head, and I could practically hear the eye roll. Ava reached over from the loveseat to pat my arm. "We're all glad that you're okay, Will. Mom and Dad said to tell you that it was about time."

I laughed. "Thanks, Ava." Jules and I managed to share a look. "I feel a lot better now that I've phased."

"No more anger?" she asked.

Smiling at her, I said, "I'm still working on it, but it's nowhere near what it's been lately. Don't worry. No more temper tantrums. Promise."

Reaching up, she patted my cheek and smiled. "Good. Nobody liked seeing you like that. When you hurt, we hurt."

This time my smile was gentle. "Thanks, Ava. You're too good to all of us."

She shrugged and sat back in the seat. "I'm just voicing what everybody in this room thinks. You're the alpha of this generation. We look up to you and respect you. But most importantly, blood related or not, we're all a family. And families want to help shoulder the burden of emotions when a member is suffering. You suffer, we suffer with you. If it were one of us, you'd do the same"

Silence followed her words, but every head nodded in agreement. Jules leaned forward. She smiled and winked at me. Sitting back against the cushions, I felt even more relaxed, and much less alone than I had before.

Later that night, after they all had gone home and we'd eaten dinner with Mom and Dad, I had Jules make up some healing herbs for Ash. Holding the bowl and washcloth is one hand, I knocked on their door. Ash answered it. Maddox was in the shower and I needed a moment alone with my brother.

"Hey," he said. "Come on in."

The room was long because it was meant to be a game room. Their king-sized beds were on the same wall, and a couch was along the opposite wall. We all had our own TVs except for Jules. She didn't watch much, and when she did, she was hanging out with us. Ash's desk was on the right as soon as you walked into the room. It was piled with papers and books and journals.

"What's that?" he asked as he sat down on the couch and flipped through the channels.

I sat down next to him. "Oh, I had Jules whip up an herbal paste. It'll help speed up the healing."

The left side of his face was still a dark bruise, his lip still puffy and split. I still couldn't help the wince.

Ash chuckled. "I don't mind the bumps and bruises, but if it'll make you feel better, go for it."

Dipping my fingers into the paste, I said, "Ash, I'm really sorry for what I did."

He shook his head slightly as I applied the goo. "Don't be, Will. Shit happens. You're my brother. I'd rather you hit me than some innocent kid, after which you'd beat yourself up over it."

"I'm beating myself up now."

"Well don't. I knew what was going to happen when I stepped in the way. That's why I did it. Besides, you're in less trouble at school, and you didn't kill anyone. At the end of the day, we all survived. That's the best part."

Sighing, I dropped my hand and looked at him. "You know, I told Jules earlier that I was glad to have her. She talked me down in that clearing. Otherwise Dad would have had to order me. But I'm also glad to have you and Maddox, to have guys other than Dad to talk to. You two might be younger than me, but I need you. That's why I'm so torn up about this. You, Maddox, and Jules are my world. Just like Ava said earlier, hurting you hurts me. This shouldn't have even happened. I'm supposed to protect you, not abuse you."

Ash's eyes softened. He took the bowl away from me and set it on the table next to the couch. "Will, you can't protect us from everything, not even yourself. We're not a typical family. We all actually like each other. One night, after you'd taken off into the woods, Dad called me, Dox, and Jules downstairs. He told us what to expect, the anger and aggression, and how easily it could be set off. Yesterday in the cafeteria, I was prepared to take the hit long before you actually pulled the punch. You were so close to phasing and your strength was magnified by the anger and adrenaline. If you'd hit Brayden, he wouldn't have been as effective getting you out of the school. So I took it, knowing what would happen. That was _my _way of protecting _you_. You need protecting, too. You're not just my brother. You're my alpha, too. I will do anything to keep you safe, even take your anger. That's what we do, Will. We're family. We take hits meant for other people to protect each other. Don't ever apologize to me about something like that, alright? I'm doing what I was raised to do, take care of my siblings. You're not the only brother, here, Will. We feel as responsible for you as you for us." Reaching out, he put his hand on the back of my neck. "We have to rely on each other. Especially if we're to run the pack together. It's time that you start realizing that we're all in this together. Period. Jules, Dox, and I will not leave you to deal with this alone. That's not how Mom and Dad brought us up." He shook me from his grip on my neck. "Do you understand that? Together, Will. We're in this together."

"Always," Maddox said from the doorway. His black hair was still damp, lying flat over his forehead. His dark eyes were deadly serious.

"Always." Jules was just behind him, looking just as determined.

Silently, Dox went to pick out a movie and put it in while Jules climbed onto the back of the couch, laying out behind us, using the wall to balance her. Her fingers played in my hair comfortingly. Dox came to sit down beside me and together we watched a movie, reveling in each other's company. It was kind of stupid, but I felt that my safety net was sitting all around me in form of my three siblings.

Not near as alone as I'd thought.

**RPOV**

After the kids had gone up to watch a movie, Jacob and I cuddled up on the couch. He'd been running with the pack for most of the day, letting Xavier run the shop.

Snuggling into his side, I sighed. "So, what does the pack think?"

"Honestly, he's the topic of discussion. They're all excited about him joining the pack. And Edward visited me in the woods."

Surprised, I looked up at him. "Dad? What about?"

He paused before saying, "Apparently, while Will was in wolf form, Edward couldn't read his thoughts."

"What?"

He nodded, wiping a hand over his face. "And honestly, I think Will and Brayden may be alike in that both of them can hide thoughts from the pack. Will _is _a hybrid of sorts just like Brayden."

Settling back down against him, I was just in shock. "Okay so the hybrid thing isn't new. But Dad not able to read Will's thoughts? He can still see Brayden, right?"

Jacob nodded.

"So, that must be a mental ability that Will has. While in wolf form, his mind is protected. Especially if he can hide from the pack. Teach him to build a mental wall…and his mind will be impenetrable. I wonder if Jules, Dox, and Ash will be the same way."

Jacob tightened his arm around me, hand rubbing my harm. "That would make them one hell of a team, especially if they can open a line of communication just between them."

We sat there for a while just thinking about that. I ran my hand across his stomach, feeling the muscles tense under the touch.

"Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Be honest, how was he?"

Clearing his throat, he sat up, taking me with him. "Ness, you have to understand that when anger is the trigger, it doesn't just disappear after they phase. It didn't for me, not for a long time. And he's my son. Some things are bound to be genetic." Tightening his grip again, he pulled me across his lap. "Come here." Cupping my face, he pulled my lips to his. "Don't worry about him so much. Now that he's phased, we can take better care of him. I promise."

He deepened the kiss, and I melted into his touch against his hard body. After all these years, he still made me hot, still made me feel like it was the first time. His lips moved from mine to trail over my jaw and back to the skin behind my ear. Holding onto his shoulders, I leaned into him and closed my eyes. Slowly, he moved in a scorching line down my throat.

"Ohmygod! Sorry! Not looking, I swear!"

Jacob and I pulled apart and looked over the couch. Jules had her eyes shielded by her hand as she booked it for the kitchen.

"Sorry. So sorry. Oof, ouch," she said as she ran into the counter. "Just getting some drinks. Sorry."

Jacob chuckled under me. I joined him. "It's okay, Jules. You can open your eyes. You're gonna have to so you can make back to the stairs in one piece."

Once she turned back from the fridge, I could see her face was red and embarrassed. She put the cans of soda on the counter before going to grab some chips. She wouldn't meet our eyes as she gathered everything up and scuttled for the stairs.

"Night," she squeaked before disappearing upstairs.

Jacob chuckled again and put a hand to my throat. "Maybe we should go downstairs. They know what a closed door means."

"We really need to put a door at the top of our stairs. Probably be much more effective. And double doors would mean a little more soundproofing."

"Mmm," he mumbled, moving his lips down my chest, eyes on mine. "I think I can make that happen," he said, lips nudging my shirt out of the way before he kissed the skin at the top of my breast. "After I take you tonight."

I couldn't help the shiver over my body. His hands cupped my ass as he got this feet, holding me against him. I wrapped my legs around his waist while he moved for the stairs to our bedroom. All the way there, I teased his neck with my tongue and teeth.

Tonight would be just what we needed after the stress of yesterday. And I was so ready for him.

**WillPOV**

The next morning, a Saturday, Brayden and I walked down to the rez. I still wasn't comfortable phasing, but I felt more like myself in my own skin now that I had. A storm had moved in and the rain was cold, but I'd wanted to walk anyway. It felt nice on my now permanently hot skin.

"So, what do you wanna do about the new girl?" Brayden asked, his hands tucked into his pockets.

I sighed. "Look, I know that Piper has worries over her, but frankly, Hunter hasn't done anything suspicious or to hurt anyone. So she saw me beat Josh. Maybe there is something up with her, but until she does something, we can't really do anything about it. So for now, we keep an eye on her, keep her close."

"Piper's not going to like that."

I shook my head. "She doesn't have to like it, Bray. That's what I've decided we're going to do. Just tell her that old saying about enemies. 'Keep your friend close, your enemies closer', or however it goes. I'm sure Ash and Maddox can entertain her."

"Actually," he said, "I'm pretty sure she has a thing for _you_."

Raising an eyebrow, I looked over at him. "Seriously?"

He shrugged. "I'm just telling you how I see it."

"So what are you suggesting I do?"

"What you do best. You're a ladies man even though you don't act on it. Flirt, pull her in, keep her close." When I gave him a look, he said, "Look, Ash and Maddox can charm anyone, but she doesn't have a thing for them. They can only keep her interested so long. You want her close enough to keep an eye on her, you're going to have to be the one in her good graces. Besides, you already have a thing for her ass."

I punched his arm. "Okay, fine, but she probably hates me after how I talked to her two days ago. You heard me in there."

He gave me a droll look. "Then, you start off by apologizing, moron. And make it good. Chicks dig good apologies."

"And you would know that how?"

"Shut up," he said as we turned down a driveway that wound through the trees.

When we rounded a bend in the drive, I could see Uncle Embry's three girls in the yard. The three of them had decided not to go the rez schools. Instead, Uncle Embry took them to Uncle Walker's pack to be taught by the wolves who had their home school paperwork.

The youngest girl, Parker, ran up to me. "Will!"

She was only eleven years old and as blonde as her mother. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tight.

"Hey, Parker. How ya doin'?"

"Okay, I guess. I miss you! We don't hang out anymore."

Pulling back, I knelt down in front of her and tucked her hair behind her ear. "How 'bout this, you and I can pick a day and do whatever we want? Video games, movies, maybe cliff jumping if I can talk your mom into it."

Her face brightened. "Cliff jumping?! You phased?"

That was the one requirement for cliff jumping with the younger kids. At least one of the pair had to have phased and could hold onto the younger.

"I did."

Squealing, she jumped up and down before throwing her arms around my neck. "Yay!" She didn't want to do it with anybody else but me so she'd been waiting for me to phase.

Laughing, I hugged her. "I miss you, too, kiddo. We'll hang out soon, okay? I promise."

Nechole and Katie ran up to us. Nechole was holding a soccer ball. "Hey, guys."

I stood up but Parker kept hold of my hand, swinging my arm and dancing around. "Hey, Cole. Katie."

She gave me a look. "So, we heard about you phasing."

I winced. "Yeah. Speaking of, is your mom home?"

Katie shook her head. "Mom and Dad went grocery shopping. Apparently we all eat like the wolves." She and Nechole shared a look. "Is it true you scratched Mom?"

Taking a deep breath, I looked down at Parker. Her blue eyes looked up at me. I let out that breath slowly. "It was an accident."

"That wasn't her question," Nechole said, eyebrows raised.

"Well, I think my statement sort of answered it anyway, Cole. Look, it was an accident and that's why I'm here. To apologize. I never wanted to hurt anybody."

Katie gave her older sister a disapproving look before stepping forward to put her hand on my other arm. "It's okay, Will. Dad explained. He's been teaching us about phasing and the triggers, how violent it can be. Cole is fourteen so she's getting close. I think he actually wants you and Brayden to talk to us, you know, when you're ready to talk about it. He says that you're our generation's alpha so we should start looking to you and not Uncle Jacob."

Before I could answer, vehicle came down the drive and parked close to the house. Uncle Embry and Aunt Tricia got out. It was hard but I managed to meet my uncle's eyes.

"Daddy!" Parker let go of me to run across the yard and fling herself up into her dad's arms.

Uncle Embry caught her up and rained kisses on her face. "Hey, kidlet. Happy you got to finally see Will?"

She nodded. "Mhm. He came to see Mommy."

Brayden and I walked across the yard to join them. Aunt Tricia turned to face me and I could see the faint lines of the scratches I'd caused. They ran in pink over her nose and down her jaw. I really hoped they didn't scar.

"Aunt Tricia-,"

Smiling, she put her hand on my cheek. "Don't, Will. I'm fine."

"Please. Just let me."

She nodded. "Alright."

I took her hands. "I am so sorry, Aunt Tricia. I don't even know what happened, but after I phased, I could see it from Brayden's thoughts."

Her smile was gentle. "Now let me tell you why you were forgiven before it even happened."

I frowned inquisitively.

"I volunteered to be one of the wolves to watch over you. Your dad and Embry warned me what could happen." She motioned to the marks. "It's just a scratch, Will. It's not like you took out my eye. I'm healing. They'll be gone in a few more hours."

Suddenly, Parker was leaning out of her dad's hold and wrapped her arms around my neck. I quickly reacted and grabbed her. She kissed my cheek. "And they make Mom look super cool."

Aunt Tricia laughed and shook her head. "You are a strange child."

Parker cuddled against my neck and face. "But you love me!" she sang.

Uncle Embry chuckled. "Yes, we do, sweetie. Why don't you go play with your sisters? Mom and I gotta talk to Will."

"Okay, Dad." She kissed my cheek before wiggling out of my arms. "See ya later, Will! Don't forget to ask Mom!"

Turning back around, I found Aunt Tricia and Uncle Embry looking at me expectantly. Brayden laughed. I shot him a look before looking back at them. "She really wants to cliff jump. I may have told that I'd try to talk you into letting me take her now that I can sprout fur."

Uncle Embry quirked an eyebrow.

To my surprise, Aunt Tricia looked at her husband. "Why didn't you ever take me? Sounds like fun."

He gaped at her. "Seriously, woman?"

"What?" she shrugged. "If I can turn into a giant dog and handle you then I'm sure I could handle jumping off a cliff."

Uncle Embry looked to me and Brayden, shaking his head. "I won't even pretend that I understand women, even having four in the house. A little advice, just nod and say you understand."

Brayden and I laughed as Aunt Tricia playfully punched him. We helped them unload the groceries into the house. Afterward, we sat down around the table while Aunt Tricia made coffee and hot chocolate and tea.

"So," she said putting my mug in front of me. "How was it?"

Groping for a word, I finally settled on, "Different. But I'll tell you that I feel better now."

Uncle Embry frowned. "It usually takes longer to kill the aggression. Especially for the alpha line."

I hedged, not wanting to talk about my personal time with my sister. "Yeah, well, I found another way to get rid of it."

What I loved about both of them was that they never pushed the issue. "Have you phased again?"

Shaking my head, I looked at Brayden. "No. I haven't tried. I heard that the trigger is…essential at first."

He nodded. "It is. For most of us. It wasn't for your dad."

Shocked, I looked up at him. "It wasn't?"

"Nope. Jake was a natural. He didn't need any help phasing. You should talk to him about it."

"I will. Thanks."

The girls came in then and Parker forced herself onto my lap. The kid always pushed her way around where she wanted to me.

She looked into my cup, then up at me. "Can I have some?"

I nodded. "Go for it."

"Parker," Aunt Tricia chided.

I laughed. "It's alright. She's right; I don't see her enough."

They both smiled at me. "You're her favorite, you know. Always have been."

"Shocking," Brayden muttered.

I kicked him under the table.

"Mom," Nechole said, sliding into the kitchen in her socks. "Can I go hang out with Cassie at Uncle Walker's? Her and her dad are in the driveway."

Cassie was the daughter of the lead enforcer for Uncle Walker's pack, Brent. She was a couple years older than Nechole but they were good friends.

Aunt Tricia shrugged. "I don't mind. But use your uncle's phone to call me when you get there."

Nechole grinned and hugged her mom. "Thanks, Mom!" And then she ran back out of the house.

"She's getting better," my aunt said to her husband.

Uncle Embry lifted his mug to his lips. "She's a teenager. She's playing us like fiddles."

Brayden and I shared a confused look.

"She wants a cell phone," he said. "We told her when she turns fifteen we'll think about it. Wasn't too fond of that idea."

"Ah," Brayden said. "Attitude?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Uncle Embry muttered. "Kid didn't talk to me for two weeks. And then she started whining and pouting every time she saw a cell phone. Now, she's getting smarter."

"Weeelll," Aunt Tricia said, fidgeting. "That could be because I had a chat with her."

Hanging his head, Uncle Embry gave her a look.

"What? I didn't promise her anything. I just said it might benefit her to chill out. 'Might' being the operative word."

I laughed. "So, how's the schooling going? I haven't been to visit Uncle Walker in a while. How's Haleigh? Didn't she move out with Garrett?"

"The girls are doing wonderful," Aunt Tricia said. "Barely ever need help with homework. As for Haleigh, yes. She and Garrett went back down to his pack. After Calahan's death, the pack wanted Garrett to lead them. Apparently, they liked him better than his father. And they love Haleigh. Should Walker or Jacob every need anything, Garrett's pack will be here in a nanosecond. And Christa told me that the two of them are expecting their first sometime in the spring."

"That's great!" Brayden said. "I always thought she'd be a good mom. Every time I went to visit the village she was always playing with the kids. If you see or talk to her, tell her we say congrats. She's going to have to visit soon."

"Definitely. She and Claire would always chase us around while the moms had playdates."

Aunt Tricia laughed. "Oh yeah. I remember that. I wasn't a mom then, but I hung out with them all the time. They were great with you guys."

"Have you heard from Quil?" Brayden asked Uncle Embry.

He nodded. "Yeah. He and Claire are coming back in time for Will's birthday. Apparently, Mika is missing you, Brayden."

He grinned smugly. "Of course she is. I'm the one who gives her ice-cream."

"You know Claire's pregnant, too, right?" Aunt Tricia asked.

"What?"

She nodded. "Yup. Quil is convinced that it's a boy."

"Of course he is. There aren't enough of us. The girls are running everything around here."

"Because we're awesome," Parker said, wiggling on my lap and sipping my hot chocolate.

Laughing, I wrapped my arms around her and tickled her like I had Jules the day before. She giggled and squirmed. "Yes, you're awesome." I stopped tickling her and rested my chin on her head. "We should probably get going. Dad probably wants me to practice phasing."

Parker pulled away and looked up at me. "Can I come, too?"

I shook my head. "Not this time, sweetness. Maybe when you're older, okay?"

She slumped. "Okay," she pouted. Then perked back up. "Did you ask Mom?"

Aunt Tricia leaned forward. "If you're talking about the cliff jumping, we'll talk about it, alright?"

"Yay!" She leaned back and whispered, "That usually means yes!"

Laughing, I picked her up and put her on the floor. Standing up, I mussed her hair. "Finish of my hot chocolate, okay? I'll come back one day after school and we'll figure out something to do." I held out my hand, palm. "Sound like a plan?"

Grinning, she slapped my palm. "Yeah!" And then she ran off.

Uncle Embry and Aunt Tricia walked us to the door. She hugged me. "I'm glad you phased and are feeling better. We were all worried about you."

"I'm good," I said, hugging her back. "Just gotta learn to control the phasing."

She winked at me. "You can do it. You're Jacob's kid. We all have faith in you."

I shook Uncle Embry's hand. He pulled me into a half hug. "You're a good kid, Will. The pack's lucky to have you. You'll do great."

"Thanks."

Brayden said his goodbyes, too. Katie and Parker were kicking the soccer ball around outside. They waved as we walked off down the drive.

Brayden patted my shoulder. "See? It's all good, man. They know what's going on with you, and they're aware of any consequences. Don't beat yourself up."

"Clearly. You know, we never talked about your phasing."

His voice hardened. "And we're not going to." He looked at me. "Don't think you're the only one going through shit, alright? We all have our fears and demons."

I nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"Don't be. If you really wanted to know, you could probably order me to tell you."

"Hm. You really think I could? Or do you think the voice is just one alpha at a time?"

He shrugged. "Uncle Sam and Uncle Jacob had it at the same time. Why not you and your dad? It would make more sense that way since you're related."

"True."

His hand clapped me on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's go practice."

And go practice, we did.

* * *

**So how do we feel? I know, I know. The phasing part wasn't as epic as you thought, nor was it in Will's POV. However, that's the way it came to me and that's the way I wrote it. And who is loving Ash? I am! He's gonna be great. Anywhozzle, love y'all! xoxoxoxoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well, then. We're really moving along! I love this chapter. One reviewer, a guest, was asking the name of Xavier's kid. I honestly didn't think about it when I wrote that one line. He was never given a name in my head. But if it comes up, I'll let ya know! Really, if any of you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. I will answer them if I can! And some of you are already taking guess about what's going to happen and who is who. Please keep your guesses vague! That's all I ask. Of course, I'm not going to tell you if you're right or not because...well, I'm just not like that. Otherwise, why write it?**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**TriciaPOV**

Standing outside the rez high school with a group of wolves and the principal, I was aware of all the eyes on us. The students walked by us slowly, heads bent, whispering. Will was standing with Jacob, and the girls talked and giggled over them, Brayden, and Henry. Somehow, they must have known Adam and Derek were off limits. And since my girls didn't go to public schools, they didn't really know who I was, so the guys had a few choice words about me. Boosted a woman's confidence when teenage boys with raging hormones thought you were hot. Smirking, I scanned the area. Ever since I'd been infected, I ran patrols and did guard duty when necessary when Embry was at work and the girls were at school.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Black, but I just cannot allow that on my campus."

"And who's going to complain?" Jacob countered. "The tribe? They've been begging for a patrol around the school to keep their kids in class. How high have test scores gone since we've been watching over my son?"

The principal crossed her arms over her stomach. "That is not the point, Mr. Black. I understand your position and who you are to this tribe. But your wolves could also cause a distraction that my students do not need."

Jacob shook his head. "With all due respect, that is the point. Whatever higher powers you have look to the principal as to why test scores have gone high or low and you know it. My wolves will stay out of sight in the woods. Except Brayden. He stays with Will. Ms. Channing, this is something you _can't _afford not to do."

The woman, in her mid-twenties, sighed and looked around at all of us. Then she threw her hands up. "Fine. The woods are the pack's territory anyway. I can't stop that. And Mr. Clearwater can stay with William. He proved himself rather useful last week."

"And punishment?" Jacob asked.

She swallowed hard and looked to Will. "Not this time. Nor for your sister, but no more leaving the school."

Will looked to his father with a little panic in his eyes.

Jacob shook his head. "We can't promise that, Ms. Channing. You obviously know about the pack, so you need to understand that right now, his condition is a little fragile. You didn't have this problem with Brayden because he had a two week Christmas break to learn. Will doesn't have that."

"And the other children who may join the pack?"

Jacob just looked at her.

Now she was irritated, hands on her hips. "You are asking me," she said tightly, "to show favoritism to you and yours."

"It's not favoritism if we're doing this to protect the other students. If we didn't care, then I wouldn't be here pleading the case. My son is a good student. He won't leave unless absolutely necessary, and I think you know that. As for Jules, she takes care of her brothers, but I will speak with her about leaving. From now on, Brayden should be able to take care of my son. I'm not asking for favoritism. I'm asking for loopholes in the rules. Please."

She looked from him to Will. "Okay, I'll agree to that, but if it happens, you are to report to me the moment you set foot back on campus."

Will nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

She nodded toward the building. "Go on or you'll be late."

He said his goodbyes to us as did Brayden before they disappeared into the crowd of students.

"Thank you," Jacob said.

The woman shook her head. "Don't thank me. I'm doing this for my students, not you."

"Whatever your reason, it's still appreciated."

Without another word, she walked off, telling the crowd to break it up and get to class. Kind of made me glad that my girls were taught by the wolves.

Jacob turned to us. "Alright. Leah, Tricia, I'd like for you to stay closest to the school. She might be a little more lenient around other women. Henry, tell your guys to split up to be on either side of the school in the woods. Anything happens, howl. Even though Will's anger has calmed, it could get reignited with all these kids. We all clear?"

The group all exchanged glances before nodding.

"Tricia, you sure you're okay to do this?"

The scratches Will had given me had disappeared, leaving my skin milky white once more. Smiling, I nodded. "I'm great. Embry wouldn't have let me volunteer if I wasn't."

The best thing about him was that he didn't push. He took me at my word. Leah and I split up to walk circuits around the school. With all the stares, something told me it was going to be a long day.

**WillPOV**

I breathed through the sensation of all the stares. There was a pit of nervousness that I knew wasn't me. The wolf inside me didn't like the attention.

"Easy," Brayden breathed beside me.

"I know. We're good."

Eventually, we made it to my locker. When I opened it and looked inside, I had to check to make sure it was my locker. It was. Insides, slid through the slots were several notes. All addressed to me with perfume and lip gloss. I shared a confused glance with Brayden. He picked one up, opened it and read it.

As he read, his eyebrows slowly ascended to his hairline. "Pretty sure you have some admirers now."

"What are you talking about?"

He handed me the note. My reaction was the same as his. I looked at the thirty or so notes. "Holy crap."

"Hi, Will." A girl I only knew by name, Monica, walked by us. She waved her fingers and winked at me.

I blinked in confusion as she passed us. Brayden just laughed and patted my shoulder. "It seems you're safe here." He excused himself to the bathroom, leaving me alone in the hallway with a bunch of girls watching me. The guys just nodded in my direction respectfully. In a confused daze, I filled up my backpack with the stuff I needed for the first half of the day. Brayden hadn't come back yet probably having gotten caught by a girl or two. I was going to be late waiting for him so I decided to go ahead to class. It was just around the corner on the next hallway. I should be okay.

As I made my way down the hall, one of the guys called out, "Hey, Black! Remind me never to piss you off, huh?"

The hall laughed, and I turned around. It was Jason, the kid I'd almost hit that day. He was smiling with good humor and winked, hanging his arm around his girlfriend. Smiling just a little, I nodded. As the hall cheered, the tension broken, I shook my head and turned to walk down the hall my class was on. Since I was now taller than the rest of the school, I could see Hunter's blonde hair peeking out from her own locker. Deciding to grab the moment with her, I pushed through the other students to lean against the wall beside her locker, which was the last one on the row and on the top. She was digging through her bag.

I cleared my throat.

She barely glanced in my direction. "Oh, hey, Will."

"Hey. I was, uh, hoping we could talk."

She snorted. "Pretty sure you made it clear how you felt about being around me."

I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about how I treated you last week. I shouldn't have said those things. Can we maybe talk after school? At the diner in town? Just you and me."

She grumbled irritably. "I would love to, but I cannot find my calculator."

Frowning at her logic, I dug into my backpack. "Use mine. I can get it from you at government or lunch. Math is my last class."

Looking up, she stared at the calculator in my hand. Then met my gaze.

Something inside me moved but my lungs stopped working. Her eyes were bright green today and the most beautiful I'd ever seen. I couldn't breathing staring at the girl in front of me. The world became obsolete, thoroughly unimportant. A part of my mind was screaming that this wasn't right, that something was wrong. That this shouldn't be happening with her. But the rest of me just didn't care. My entire felt the contact where she took the calculator from me.

It took me a moment to realize that her expression had become guarded and wary. "Will? Are you alright?"

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the sound of her voice.

_No!_

Shaking my head, I avoided looking at her. I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I'm good. See you later," I rushed out and practically yelled before taking off to my class.

"Will!" she yelled after me, but I ignored her.

By the time I flung myself into my seat, I was hyperventilating and convinced my heart was about to spill out my mouth. Pressing my fists to my eyes, I just kept my body tense, trying to forget what had just happened.

_No, no, no, no…This couldn't be happening. Not with her!_

"Will. Will!" a voice I recognized hissed.

Moving one hand, I opened that eye to see Brayden kneeling next to my desk. Class hadn't started yet, but the room was full, the teacher at her desk.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, then shook my head. Then shrugged.

He glanced at the teacher. "Do I need to get you out of here?"

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself calm. I was not going to cause another scene. It just wasn't going to happen. What had just happened to me wasn't a big deal. Okay, so maybe it was, but that didn't change the fact that Hunter was under suspicion and needed to be kept close to the group. I had to do this. It was my job as future alpha to see to any and all threats. My imprinting on Hunter wasn't going to change the fact that something was off about her. I had to remain objective. The plus side was that I was now whole-heartedly attracted to her. It would make being charming a bit easier.

"Will?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm okay. Just wait outside for me."

"You're sure?"

"Not really, but I'm not going to put Ms. Channing through this crap because I can't handle shit. Just let me have some normal, okay?"

He stood up. "Alright. I'll be outside."

The moment the door closed behind him, the bell rang.

"Mr. Black?"

Scrubbing my face, I took a deep breath and lowered my hands. "Yes, ma'am?"

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She nodded, taking me at my word, and started class.

This was going to be a really long day.

**JPOV**

I loved days off during the week. Got to sleep in and have some alone time with the wife. Perfect. After I'd dropped Will off and made sure he was taken care of, I'd come back here and crawled back in bed with Nessie.

"I can't believe Will turns eighteen this week," Ness said from where she was resting on my chest. Now that the kids were older and knew better than to come into our room without announcing themselves, we could sleep naked again. Thank goodness. With my body temp, wearing clothes to bed had nearly killed me.

I cringed. "Please don't say that. I already feel old as dirt."

She chuckled. "It's true, though. Our boy will be eighteen."

I hugged her tighter to my side. "What are we gonna do this year?"

She shrugged. "Well, he's been great and he phased. We could get him a car."

Leaning back so I could see her face, I gave her a look.

"What? He's also graduating this year. I think he deserves it."

"Of course you do. He's a momma's boy."

Going up on her elbow, she looked down at me. "You don't think he does? I thought we agreed we'd get them cars? They can't all use the truck and the SUV. Or your bike."

Reaching up, I pushed her hair over her shoulder. "Yes, he deserves it and yes we agreed. But you know he's going to want a bike instead of a car, right?"

"That's a no, plain and simple. But he does love Uncle Emmett's Jeep."

"That's true."

She slapped my chest as her eye brightened. "I know. What don't you have a father/son thing and go car shopping this weekend? He'd love that. I know he'd love some time alone with you."

I smiled up at her. "Yeah, that does sound good. I'll ask him when he gets home. But until then…" I rolled her so that she was under me. "I really wanted to enjoy my time alone with _you_."

"Mmm," she mumbled, wiggling her hips under me. "I think I can handle that."

The kiss was slow and deep as I slowly entered her. With no foreplay, she was incredibly tight, but incredibly wet. She broke the kiss to arch her back, eyes closed. Her nails set into the skin over my ribs, pulling me closer. I sank into her, and even after all these years, the feeling of complete bliss filled out my body. She was my everything, and I always felt complete when I was joined with her.

"Oh, Jacob," she breathed.

The lovemaking was slow and thorough at first. Her hips lifted to meet mine on every thrust. Reaching down, I gripped her wrists and lifted them over her head, using one hand to pin them to the bed. With that leverage, I increased my speed, slapping flesh on flesh. Over the years, we'd tried just about everything in the bedroom. But to this day, this was my favorite position. This and having her on top of me.

She was getting close to orgasm. I knew that because her nails were about to slice through the skin of my wrist. Years later, she still liked to bleed me when she came. Neither one of us had changed over the years, so we both looked to be in our twenties. The changes had happened on the inside, raising our kids and ourselves at the same time. My oldest son was about to turn eighteen and I felt like he should still be in diapers. It was bittersweet to see him grow up and finally phase, to see all of them grow up.

I must have loosened my grip on Nessie's wrists because I felt her hand warm on my cheek. Opening my eyes- I didn't remember closing them- I met her brown eyes that held the knowledge that she knew what I was thinking about. Underneath me, she took control, moving her hips against mine. So I rolled over onto my back so that she could have more range of motion. Leaning forward, she wrapped her fingers around mine and swung her hips over me, her body moving in sensuous waves that she managed to turn into a dance.

It wasn't long until we were both straining, losing our rhythm.

The orgasm caught me on the upstroke hard, paralyzing me deep inside her. Nessie's nails dug into the back of my hand, bringing blood to the crescents. A heartbeat later, she was joining me, calling out. Her body spasmed around mine, milking me.

When we were both sated, she collapsed on top of my chest, her face buried in my neck.

I heard her inhale deeply. "Mmm, you smell good. Sex, blood, and alpha male."

Chuckling, I tilted my head. "You want some?"

Leaning up a little, she looked at me. "Mmm, very much so."

I brushed her sweaty hair back and pressed her face to my skin. "Take what you want. You need to be strong for the hunt." Since the kids still drank blood, but liked it cold, we hunted for them on my days off. Some of the other wolves, like Derek and Adam, had volunteered, but we'd wanted to do it ourselves, to provide for our kids. It also offered the opportunity for Nessie to hunt, keeping her vampire side fed. Some of the others would help us drag the deer and mountain lions back to the house so we could drain them. Then the deer would be cleaned, the meat stripped. Ness had become awesome at making homemade deer jerky.

Her teeth sank into the skin between my neck and shoulder. It only hurt for just a second, and then it was pure sex as she sucked my skin and blood. I was ready to take her again in only a matter of seconds. With me still inside her, round two was fast and hard.

When it was over, I was too weak to move. That always happened to me. But she seemed to recover faster after drinking from me. This time, it was her to clean me up. However, once I was up and she was dressed, we moved upstairs. I phased in the open space of the living room. It would be pointless to put on clothes when I'd just be phasing as soon as I got outside. Nessie opened the door for me. Others joined us outside in human form. Ness and I would do the hunting. I brought them down and she would snap their necks so that it was minimum blood loss. One or two would be for her.

Christa came up to me. "Hey, Jake. Ness."

Nessie smiled at her. "Hey, Christa. How is everything?"

"Great. You?"

"Worried about Will but other than that I'm okay. How're your kids?"

She smiled. Her curly hair was damp and down to her waist. "Haleigh and Garrett have moved their pack further south for the rest of her pregnancy. She kept feeling bad in the cold and wet. I seriously can't believe that I'm going to be a grandmother. It's very strange. And Ryell and Wren are close to shifting. Garrett said that we could send them down to them for training but I think that Walker wants to do it now that he's more experienced."

"How old is Ryell now?"

"Just turned thirteen. Wren is almost eleven."

Ness started walking with Christa. I followed. Paul, Derek, Adam, and Leila joined us. Henry refused to let his mate on protective detail. He figured she'd be safer on hunt and patrol duty rather than with ill-tempered teenagers close to phasing. I couldn't say I blamed him after Will's aggression.

Leila came to bump her shoulder into my side. "Hey, Uncle Jake."

Looking over, I licked her cheek. She was my goddaughter after all.

Laughing, she wiped it away. "Really, Uncle Jake? Don't you think we're both too old for that?"

I playfully growled at her. After she'd joined the pack, Sam came to me asking me to take care of his daughter. He and Emily were getting older, aging, and it was hard to see the grey in his hair and the lines on his face. Ness and I had also agreed to be Tate's godparents so that they weren't split up if anything happened before the two kids were old enough to take care of themselves. Leila was nineteen and taking online college courses for journalism. With all our contacts around the world, she could call any of them for information and work from home for the occupation she wanted. It was perfect for her.

I licked her again.

"Ugh, okay, fine. I love you, too. Geez. Oh, by the way, I talked to Henry before coming out here. He said that Will's okay. Brayden said he had a brief moment but managed to get ahold of himself."

Other voices in my head confirmed it. Leah was the most prominent.

_He's good. I can see him through a window right now._

Through her eyes, I could see my son's dark head bent over his notebook. He was looking between his book and the paper, occasionally checking his phone. Uh-huh. Thought he was being stealthy. He kept glancing up at the front and then down at the phone. His only saving grace was that he didn't stay on it. Returning it to his pocket, he went back to his assignment.

_Thanks, Leah. Keep an eye on him. I'm gonna zone out for the hunt. We're low on blood._

_Sure thing, boss. Want me to sit at the window and glare at him while he has it out?_

I chuckled. _No. Let's not give Ms. Channing an aneurysm, shall we?_

_Aye, aye captain._

Mentally, I rolled my eyes. Ever since she'd mated Caden and had Gage, she'd become a completely different person. All for the better.

_Awe, love you, too, Jake._

_Oh shut up. I'm zoning out now. Go back to watching my kid._

She did her own zoning out and went back to watching over Will.

"Jake?"

Shaking out of my mental vision, I looked up at Nessie. She'd braided her hair down her back. Christa and Leila were beside me in wolf form. They were both strong in human form but weaker than their wolf selves. It would be easier for them to drag the deer back as wolves.

"You ready?" Ness asked.

I nodded and she took off. I followed her, trusting her senses and knowledge of these woods. It wasn't long before we found a herd of deer. She picked out the one she wanted first. As soon as I took the buck down, the others were scatter. My wolves would corral them into one area so that we could get to the rest of the herd. It was easy to take him down because Nessie had climbed a tree, forcing his attention up. Minding my teeth and claws, I tackled him down, taking a hoof in the stomach. Nessie was quick with her part of the take down, snapping his neck quick and clean.

Standing up, she wiped her hands on her jeans. "This one goes back to the house. We'll take down three females next to go down to the house. After that, I'll hunt to feed."

Paul came up to grab the buck and hauled the animal over his shoulder. "I got this one. Leila, come help me drain it."

Leila looked to me and I nodded. She turned to trot after Paul.

We did the same thing with the three does. Quil and Lucas came by to help. My pack was the best. They always did what they could to help out, even going out of their way. We'd been doing this hunt and gather thing since we returned from our island with the twins to support the blood intake. We made sure to take from large herds and always used up the bodies. There were several mom-n-pop shops that would take the bones and use them for jewelry. Most of the meat would go to the butcher. He would save some of the good cuts for us to use for free in return for giving them to him.

After the three does were taken back to the house, Ness and I hunted down another herd and took down the buck. She was starving and craving more blood. My blood always energized her and made her hungrier. She downed it in record time and left the carcass in a known mountain lion territory. After she was done and cleaned up the best she could, she came to stand next to me.

"Well, I feel better."

I licked her neck and cheek.

Laughing, she hugged me head to her chest and rubbed her hand between my eyes. "I love you, too." She kissed my muzzle and let go of me. "Come on. Let's go help drain our catch."

Before she could move, I ducked my upper body down so she could climb up on my shoulders. Chuckling, she gripped my fur and swung a leg across my body. "Haven't done this in a while. Still think you got some speed, old man?"

I growled playfully and crouched low.

She leaned over to whisper in my ear, "Show me what you got, hubby."

Gripping my fur and gripping me tight with her thighs, I knew she was ready, so I dug my claws into the ground and shot off into the trees.

Just like old times.

**WillPOV**

By lunch, I had involuntary jitters and the itch to see Hunter again. Oh, man. I was in so much trouble. Especially if there was something up with her.

Sitting outside since it wasn't raining, I scrubbed my forehead with my thumb and middle finger, elbows planted on the table in front of me. There were others who had followed me out here but none had tried to sit with me or talk to me.

"Will? I thought you said you were sitting inside?" Brayden's angry voice reached me before he did.

Sighing, I said, "I know what I said, Bray. I just needed some time alone."

He sat beside me, his elbows on the picnic table. "Wanna tell me what's up? You've been acting weird all morning."

"Wanna tell me what's up with you? That big secret you're keeping from the pack and me?" I countered. When he didn't answer, I said, "Didn't think so."

Clearing his throat, he stood up. "I'm gonna go check in with Aunt Tricia," he said without emotion. "Yell if you need me."

I was listening to him walking away when a hand holding my calculator appeared under my nose. I looked up in surprise to see Hunter standing beside me. My heart and gut both clenched. Aw, crap. I had to move in my seat to readjust myself in my jeans that were now a tad too tight.

She smiled, apparently not taking in the fact that I was staring at her with my mouth open. "Thanks for letting me use it. Saved my life for the quiz."

"Uh...yeah. I, uh," I had to clear my throat. "Yeah. No problem."

She gave me an amused, confused look as she moved to sit across from me. "You okay?"

The girl was absolutely gorgeous and she was actually asking me that? Dark blonde hair with natural highlights of brown, red, and light blonde. Her green/hazel eyes were bright in her golden skin. And she had a body that could be the star in any man's wet dream. Although if any of the guys came to me to tell me he'd tap that, I'd probably kill him. Or at least put him in a coma.

I cleared my throat again and tried to gather all my IQ points. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just been a long few days." I motioned toward the calculator. "And you're welcome."

She leaned forward on her arms. "Hey, can I ask you questions about the pack?"

My immediate answer was _sure, why not?_ But I stopped my imprinted male reaction and thought about Piper's suspicion. I couldn't just go from accusing Hunter of spying and then tell her everything she wanted to know. "You can ask," I said, implying that she could but that didn't mean I'd tell her. I looked around to make sure nobody was trying to eavesdrop.

Her head dipped. "Fair enough. Okay, I'll start off with a fairly simple one. Not really a question; more an observation."

"Okay?"

She motioned to me, moving her hands up and down as if showcasing my whole body. "You got bigger."

If I'd had a drink, I'd have spit it out. Without a drink, I just stared at her.

When she finally understood, she blushed. "Sorry. I didn't mean…that way. Well…I mean…" she motioned with her hands again. "I mean, all of you. You just sort of…sprouted." And then she put her face in her hands. Her accent had gotten thicker with her embarrassment, and now I could really hear what my sister and Piper had been talking about. "I'm so sorry. That's not how I meant that."

Chuckling, I reached out to pat her arm. "It's okay. I know what you meant, but I'm a guy so I had to make it dirty. So, I'm gonna guess that the question is, is that a side effect?"

She nodded and raised her head, still blushing. "Yeah."

I didn't see the harm in that question, so I answered it. "Yes, it is. That's kind of how we know that we actually will phase. Our growth spurts are ridiculous. And after we phase for the first time, it can add. So yeah, I got bigger," I finished with a grin.

She groaned. "I'm not gonna live that down, am I?"

I shook my head. "Probably not."

"Ugh. Next question."

"Go for it."

"Where did the pack come from? Is it a disease like lycanthropy?"

I frowned. "You know about lycanthropy?"

She nodded. "I love myths and legends so I try to study as much as I can. I mean, I know that there actually are witches in existence."

"Okay, well tell me something. Did your stories of lycanthropy ever describe an infected human as having massive growth spurts in a short amount time and the size staying that way?"

Biting her lip, which made me hotter for her, she frowned, thinking about her knowledge. After a moment, she shook her head, her hair flying around her shoulders. "No."

I gave her a look.

"So wait, you're saying that…it's genetic?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I've heard the stories about lycanthropy, too, and know that infected wolves can still mate and have kids, making the shift genetic. Who's to say that's not what we are?"

A look flickered over her expression, but it was gone a moment later. "You're not going to answer it straightforward, are you?"

I shrugged again. "Trade secret."

Her eyes narrowed. "Trade or tribe?"

She was quick. "Both."

Her eyebrows raised. "Ahhh, I see." Her tongue came out to lick her lips. "Alright. So, tell me, does aggression come with the-the…whatever you call it? The shift?"

"Phase."

"What?"

"We call it phasing."

"Okay, so answer the question."

I hedged that answer. "Sometimes. For me, the aggression was my trigger. You see, like the children born to infected wolves of lycanthropy, our children phase later in life. The growth spurts, the extreme emotions…all part of what leads up to the phase. Now, depending on events in one's life and one's emotional stability in certain areas will dictate which emotion will be the trigger and boil over into the change."

"So yours was-what?-anger?"

"And pain."

She frowned. "Pain?"

This time when I cleared my throat, I averted my gaze from hers. "My grandfather's passing."

She gasped. "Oh right." Her hand moved across the table to settle over mine. I had to fight the urge to pick it up and caress the soft skin with my lips. But damn, it was hard. "I'm so sorry. I hate to say that I forgot, but I kind of did."

I covered her hand with my other one, reveling in the creamy softness. "It's alright. He wasn't your grandfather."

"No but he was yours," she said sadly before blinking and frowning like she didn't know why she'd just said that the way a girlfriend would. She pulled back and stood up. "Well, I guess I'd better get going before the bell rings."

I stood up, too. "But you didn't eat anything."

Her smile was amused. "Neither did you. Anyway, maybe I'm holding out for that diner date after school that you promised me."

Frowning, I smiled. "But you never actually gave me an answer. Didn't know we were still on for that."

"I told you I would."

I shook my head. "No, I believe you told me that you'd love to but you couldn't find your calculator, meaning that if you didn't find it, you wouldn't go."

Her head cocked to the side, and she tried not to grin. "Well, you gave me yours and I managed not to lose it. So I think a late lunch at the diner would be the perfect I'm-sorry-and-thank-you-for-not-losing-my-calculator payment. Besides, I'm told that you and your siblings are the rich kids around here."

Laughing, I picked up my own backpack as she slid hers over her shoulder. "It's family money, not mine. But I think I can skim a few bucks."

"Good. Don't worry; I'm a cheap date. Promise."

A small growl slipped out before I caught it. I covered it with a cough. Or tried to. "Don't let anyone else hear you say that, or they'll be all over you." My tone strained at friendly banter, and was closer to an order.

And she noticed it. Her expression became guarded but still friendly. "I'll remember that." She started around the table, backing toward the school. "So, I'll see you later?"

Shaking away the possessiveness, I put on my best charming smile. "Yeah, sure. I'll meet you out here. We can walk together."

This grin was real. "I'd like that." And then she was off into the school.

Watching her walk away made my blood heat up even more. Never really knew I was an ass man until she came into my world.

"Got a hot date?"

Brayden's voice behind me actually made me jump.

Gritting my teeth, I gripped the straps of my backpack. "Yes, and you aren't invited."

"Will-," he started in a warning.

Spinning to face him, I said, "No. You said I should be the one to reel her in to keep her close. I can't do that with you in there staring a hole in my head."

He growled in frustration. "Fine," he said for probably the thousandth time today. "I'll be outside, though."

"Your consideration is touching," I drawled sarcastically.

Grinding his teeth, he shook his head. "If we weren't at the school right now, I'd pop you a good one, I swear." When he started walking, he said, "So tell me, did you imprint on her?"

Something told me that telling him right now wouldn't be good, so I answered, "No," as firmly as I could and prayed that I could keep it hidden when I phased. Because I had to phase. There was no way I could stop the training that had been set up for the new wolves without raising suspicion.

Apparently, everybody had a shit-storm in their lives. Looks like mine was just beginning.

**HunterPOV**

_I'd like that?!_ I yelled at myself. _What the hell is wrong with you?!_

Never before had I said anything so stupid without planning it first. Not to mention, I'd almost let my accent slip several times, which I don't think he noticed. What was it about William Black that had me this bothered? Of course he _was_ attractive. The son of the alpha was bound to be. But every time he'd looked at me, my skin had warmed. From the moment I met him, I'd felt the pull. But what was it? Lust? It had to be. He was drool-worthy gorgeous with his russet-gold skin, toffee brown eyes, and full lips that just made a woman want to nibble on them. Not to mention those broad shoulders that begged for nails to be set into them. My body flushed again as I made my way down the hallway, aching in a way that I couldn't ease without help and privacy. Not that I was bashful. It was just that my kind of sex wasn't safe for public consumption.

He'd also seemed a bit flustered. I could smell the hormones boiling inside him. It was a mutual attraction. One I could use to my advantage. Possibly even have a little fun with him before I took what I came for. He'd used a dominant tone with me, which made me wonder what kind of lover he'd be. I'd heard from gossip that he was still a virgin. All the Black kids were. If that was true, I wondered what it would be like to open that door for him, to release the beast inside him. He was an alpha, someday pack leader. All alphas had a rough side to them between the sheets. The aggression was engrained in them. He'd even admitted to his as his trigger. What would it be like to-

_Stop!_

That wasn't what I was here for. Only if the opportunity presented itself. Which it very much could with the lust I smelled pouring off him. If I played my cards right. It had been a while since I'd had a lover, and Will would no doubt be a wonderful trophy.

_Stop, Hunter!_

Growling at myself as I made my way into the classroom, I ignored all the glances. Stupid humans. They had no idea the threat I posed to every one of them.

Sitting in the back of my next class, I tried to force the thoughts of a naked William Black out of my mind. To no avail.

**BraydenPOV**

I was seething as I waited for Will outside the classroom. The kid was stubborn, not that we were that far apart in age. But right now, I felt ancient compared to him. And now he was ordering me around. At the same time, he'd had a point. What was it about that girl? I'd never seen him look at another female that way. Was it the imprint or just instant attraction because she was new and fresh? No matter what it was, I was close to punching him. I could do that now.

"Bray?"

Looking up from scowling at my shoes, I saw Jules coming down the hall. Her copper hair was down today, floating around her shoulders, nearly down to her waist. "Hey. What are you doing out of class?"

She held up some papers as she walked toward me. "Messenger." She stopped in front of me and glanced at the classroom door. "How is he?"

"Irritating," I growled before I could stop myself.

Her eyebrows rose. "Really? Why?"

"Why?" I repeated. "Couldn't tell you. But I know how. He's decided to take an interest in the new girl. Because of the suspicion we have, he thinks keeping her close to keep an eye on her would be a good idea. He's taken it upon himself to be the bait. They have a date after school."

A frown marred her pretty face. "Imprint?"

I shook my head, very uncomfortable with that topic. "He won't tell me. I asked but…it seems that any hybrid can learn to hide things. I can't tell if he's lying."

"Wait, hide things?" Her expression was expectant. "Do _you _hide things? From the pack?"

I met her aqua gaze and nearly spilled my guts. But I grabbed it before my mouth managed to move without order from my brain. I nodded. "We all have secrets, Jules. Once you get a taste of the pack mind, you'll understand how important and wonderful it will be to be able to hide things."

She shrugged. "I guess I never really thought of us as hybrids before."

That made me chuckle. "Yeah, I never did either. Not until I phased. Mom and Dad were just that: Mom and Dad. Not two different types of wolves. Then I phased and realized I could hold things back. I'll tell you, it's a blessing."

Stepping into me, she put her hand on my cheek and looked worriedly up at me. "What could be so bad that you want to hide it? I've never known you to do anything so awful. And I've known you an awfully long time."

Smirking, I gripped her wrist and moved her hand gently. "I never said it was awful or bad." She opened her mouth to respond, but I shook my head. "Go or the teacher will think you've skipped out. Don't wanna get in trouble."

Frowning, she bit her lip. "Okay." Lifting up, she kissed my cheek. "But I really wish you'd actually talk to me. My brother's not the only one being irritating." And then she was gone, walking quickly down the hallway.

Sighing, I leaned heavily against the wall beside the door. I hated keeping things from Jules. And didn't that just add to my irritation.

**RPOV**

"Sweetheart?"

I turned from putting the jug of blood in the fridge. "Oh, hey, Dad. What's up?"

There was a look on his face that told me something wasn't right. He'd just come from checking on Will, so my blood started to run cold.

"Dad? Is Will okay?" I demanded a bit frantically.

"Yes," he assured me quickly.

I let out a relieved breath. "Don't do that to me, Dad. How would you have liked if someone had done that to you about me?"

"Well, baby, something is off."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You know I can't read his thoughts when he's a wolf. But I went down to check on him today as you know. Ness, I couldn't read him even in human form. Just like your mother."

"What?"

He nodded and sat down at the table. "I've never seen anything like this. A shield who's a werewolf?" He looked a little scared as I sat down across from him. "Ness, I can't watch out for my grandson unless I'm there to physically see him. I'm useless, just like I was when you learned to erect that mental wall." His darkening golden eyes met mine. "And that terrifies me. It always has."

Reaching out, I took his hand. "Daddy, you're not useless to my son. And you were never useless to me. You're just…a slightly more normal grandfather now. The way Billy was. You can still see Jules and the twins, right?"

He nodded. "For now. But if they're anything like Will, that will change and I'll lose them, too."

I gripped his hand. "Dad, you're not losing anybody. You just won't be able to get into their minds."

"What are we talking about?" Jacob asked, bringing in another jug of blood and putting it in the fridge. His hands were stained red and deer blood was spattered across his naked chest.

"Dad can't read Will anymore."

Once Jacob scrubbed his hands, he came to sit beside me, frowning. "Like at all?"

Dad shook his head. "Not even a shadow of a thought. He's just like his grandmother. He's immune to mind-reading."

Jacob chuckled. "Well, they can't all be easy pickings, Edward. I hate to tell you that. But Ness is right. You're not losing anybody, and you're far from useless."

Dad looked surprised. "You heard that?"

Jacob gave him a droll look. "I am a werewolf, Edward."

Mom joined us a second later. "There you are. I thought we were going hunting?"

Raising her hand up, Dad kissed her wrist. "We are. I just needed to talk to Ness and Jacob."

She frowned. "About?"

"I'll explain on the way out."

"Hi, Mom."

She smiled. "Hi, sweetie. How'd the hunt go?"

"Great. We managed four for the kids and I got one for me."

"Nice haul."

"So where are you two heading?" Jake asked.

Mom rubbed Dad's shoulders. "Further north. We heard there's been some mountain lion trouble. We decided we'd take care of it."

"Generous of you," Jacob said, chuckling.

Just then, the kids came into the house.

"Hey Grama, Grampa," Jules said as she dumped her bag and books. "What's up?"

Mom smiled and hugged her. "Nothing much, sweetie. How was your day?" She kissed my daughter's head.

Jules shrugged. "Oh, you know. High school drama, worrying about Will, and chasing after the younger ones to make sure they're where they're supposed to be."

"Good girl."

She went to Dad and hugged him before going for the fridge. "Ooo, more blood," she said grabbing a jug.

"It's not cold yet," I told her.

She shrugged and grabbed a glass. "Fresh is fresh, Mom."

Couldn't argue with that. Maddox and Ash said hi to their grandparents before following suite.

Beside me, Jacob frowned. "Where's your brother?"

Jules moved her cup just long enough to say, "Oh, he had a date."

The entire room froze and stared at her.

She noticed it and looked around at us. "What? That's what Brayden said. He didn't tell me not to tell."

"A date with who?" Jacob asked.

"The new girl, Hunter. That's all I know. I swear. I don't even know where they went."

Ash and Maddox shared a frown and I knew they were going to interrogate their sister later.

My dad frowned. "Is this the girl you asked Trey to look into?"

Jules nodded. "Yeah. He said she checks out."

"What was the name of her adoptive parents?" Jacob asked.

She frowned. "Um, Bennett, I think. The uncle's name was…"

"Jamison," Maddox answered. "He was the wife's brother."

Jacob nodded slowly. "I remember them. They moved away a long time ago. Young couple back then. Probably around the time Bella and Edward got married. Their old house was never sold. It's back in the woods like Embry's."

"Probably the house Hunter inherited," Ash said. "She told Will that she'd inherited a house from her uncle. If he got it from the parents' deaths, then it makes sense."

"True," Mom said.

"Nobody would notice if it was occupied anyway from where it's located," Jacob said thoughtfully. "Might need to check it out and introduce myself since it is my tribe." He looked up at the kids. "You said she knows about us?"

The three of them nodded in unison.

"We should get going," Mom said suddenly.

Looking at them, I noticed that they were both staring at the cups of blood rather intensely.

The kids noticed, too.

"Crap," Jules said. "Sorry. We didn't even think about it."

"It's alright," Mom said with a strained smile. She pulled Dad out of his chair. "We just need to go."

Dad nodded, ripping his eyes from the blood. "She's right. We'll see you later, okay?"

"Happy hunting," Ash said.

They both smiled before leaving.

I sat back heavily in my chair. Wasn't this quite a day? The other question was, were we going to tell the kids about the no mind-reading?

**WillPOV**

The walk to the diner was a quiet one. She asked mainly about the weather, if it was always raining. Pretty much. Or at least cloudy. Sometimes the sun would come out. Today was a good day because it hadn't rained too much. The entire walk there, I'd felt Brayden close by but I hadn't seen him.

We were at the table and had just ordered.

"Thank you for this. You really didn't have to," she said after the server had gone.

"It's not a problem. And really I'm trying to apologize. There's no excuse for how I acted. I take my position as tour guide and first friendly person you meet quite seriously."

Chuckling, she said, "Well, apology accepted. After what you described earlier, I can imagine it was difficult to play nice, especially at school where anything can set you off."

I nodded. "Definitely." Leaning forward, I moved my drink to the side. "So, tell me a little about you. I heard a little of what you were talking about with Ash."

"Oh yeah. He asked me about my accent."

"What about it?"

"Where it came from. I didn't really have it growing up and never knew that I'd kept it after I left Europe. It was a surprise to hear that I did."

"How long were you over there?"

"About a year. Before they died, my adoptive parents told me that my birth parents were from there. So after they and my uncle died, I decided to travel a bit to see if I could find them or any siblings."

I nodded. "Right. You said you haven't found any. What about your parents?"

She dipped her head. "Also dead. It seems tragic accidents follow me."

Hissing, I almost reached for her hand but stopped myself. "I'm sorry. That has to be rough."

"A bit. But I managed to find some of their friends." She ran a finger around the rim of her cup. "You know, if I'd stayed in school in Canada, I would have graduated last year and we probably wouldn't be having this conversation."

She was probably right. We may have eventually run into each other if she'd moved here, but we certainly wouldn't be here at this moment.

"Will?"

Looking up, I met her green eyes.

"I'm really glad I didn't graduate last year," she said softly.

Well didn't that just make my blood boil?

I smiled at her. "Me, too."

She grinned at me just as our food arrived. After the server left, I jumped when her foot hit my shin. I'd thought it was an accident until I realized she hadn't apologized or moved it after digging into her food. Instead, she rested her foot on top of mine and moved her other leg to rest between mine.

"Eat," she said.

I cleared my throat. That seemed to be my habit around her. "What?"

She motioned to my food. "You need to eat. You didn't at lunch. I know you have to be hungry." She loaded the last sentence with meaning.

And she was right. I was starving. I could have eaten my food, hers, and three desserts. Everybody had warned me about my ability to consume food after phasing, but I guess I hadn't believed them until now. Even though I'd seen my dad and Brayden eat. So I did as she said and started eating, wondering why the feeling of her legs touching me caused me to want to smile stupidly. I didn't even know the girl, didn't trust her, even though she was my imprint.

And then it hit me. Holy shit. I'd imprinted. I was sitting across from my soul mate. If all went the way it should, I'd be what she needed and she'd fall for me. But what about the suspicions about her? Her story seemed credible enough, and Trey had said she checked out. Maybe Piper just really didn't like her because of her own crush on me. But Brayden and Jules had the same suspicions. Could they be jealous, too? I did spend all my time with them and the pack. However, Hunter had grabbed my attention the first day I met her where no other girl had been able to do that for as long as I'd been alive. And now that I'd imprinted, spending my time with her just seemed like a dandy idea.

She looked up from her plate and smiled. "What?"

"What?"

"You're staring at me."

Shaking my head, I reached for my drink. "Not intentionally. Well," I amended, "maybe a little."

She actually giggled. For some reason, I hadn't pegged her as the giggling type. "I suppose that's a compliment."

"It is." I leaned forward. "You know, I've never had a girlfriend." Her eyebrows rose, and I nodded. "It's true. I've never met a girl that I wanted to give my time to other than family. And it's not just because you're new, Hunter. You're also one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. Not that I think you're my girlfriend after one apology plate of food."

For a moment, she just stared at me. It looked she was genuinely taken aback that someone could see her that way. Clearly flustered, she cleared her throat and dropped her eyes. "Well, hitting on me so soon?" She was trying for playful banter but it came out shaky.

I shrugged, wondering where the hell my confidence had come from. But honestly something told me she hadn't had an easy life and she needed someone in her corner. Someone who could lift her up and make her smile. There was a sadness in her eyes that told me romantic notions hadn't been a part of her world. "You could say that, but I'm just being honest. You're beautiful, Hunter."

Now she flushed, her tan darkening across her cheekbones. She moved her hair over her shoulder to try to hide it. "Who are the others?"

"What?"

"You said I was one of the most beautiful girls you'd ever seen. Who are the others?"

I grinned at her. "My mother and my sister." Under the table, I gently squeezed her leg with mine. "Don't worry. No competition for you."

The blush turned furious, spreading from her cheeks. "I didn't…I mean…"

Reaching across the table, I lifted her chin so that her eyes met mine. "I know."

Her green eyes studied me. "You are something else, William Black."

As I smiled, movement caught my eye. A large group of people were leaving. I got an idea. Standing up, I pulled a fifty out of my wallet and then took Hunter's hand. "Come with me."

She watched me suspiciously but took my hand and slid out of the booth, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Where are we going?"

I knew my grin was slightly evil. "We're gonna ditch my bodyguard." Pulling her behind me, I managed to push my way into the heart of the crowd. It would be harder for Brayden to catch my scent after he realized I was gone. Of course, he'd be pissed and tell Dad, but I didn't care. I wanted some time with her.

Outside, I didn't see Brayden. He'd probably gone to talk to some of the shop owners across the way. Good. And the group of people were going exactly where I needed them to. Hunter wrapped her other arm around mine so that we wouldn't be separated.

"Where are we going?" she whispered, repeating her question.

I squeezed her hand. "You'll see."

Getting us out of the group, I pulled her toward the woods. We didn't have much time. Brayden was a smart guy. He'd figure out that I was gone sooner rather than later. No doubt I'd be getting an angry voicemail and text message because I was not going to answer my phone.

Through the trees, I helped her over the roots and shrubs. The dark clouds had cleared out, leaving puffy white ones behind and the sun peeking through. Perfect. Dad had told me that he'd done this for Mom on their first official date, not that I thought this was a date. I just wanted to give Hunter something she could appreciate after her first weeks here on the rez. No doubt she missed the sun and the warmth. Hopefully the good weather would last a few days so that she could get her sun intake.

Behind me, she laughed, still clutching my hand. "How do you not get lost? We're not even on a path."

Moving back beside her, I gripped her waist and helped her over a fallen tree. "I grew up in these woods. And now I run them. This is my home."

I'd set her down in a patch of sunlight. It highlighted her hair and made her green eyes sparkle as she looked up at me while I jumped over the tree.

"I love it," she said. "New meaning to ruggedly handsome."

Moving past her, I laughed. When she took my hand again, I squeezed her fingers. "I went from hot to ruggedly handsome, huh? I'm moving up in the world."

She shrugged. "In my world at least. Can I ask you something?"

"I don't know. Can you?" I said, mimicking Ash and Jules.

I could practically hear her eye roll. "_May _I ask you something?"

Chuckling, I said, "Shoot."

"How do you find mates?" She must not have noticed me tense, because she went on. "I mean, is there a process? The tribe knows about the pack. Is it just plain old dating for you guys?"

Swallowing hard, I shook my head. "Not dating exactly. But it's another trade secret."

"Trade or tribe?" she asked, repeating the question from earlier.

"Trade. Although some of the tribe knows about it." Looking back at her, I said, "Maybe someday I can tell you."

"You really think we'll know each other when this someday comes?"

I brushed her hair back, picking a leaf out of the strands. "I hope so."

The flush was back but she smiled. "What if I leave? If it's so super-secret, you won't be able to tell me over the phone or through text. The government listens in," she whispered conspiratorially.

I smiled but said, "Do you plan on leaving?"

Indecision played over her features, a serious frown marring them. "Maybe. What if I want to go to college? Travel more?"

Trying not to let the disappointment show, I shrugged, let go of her hand, and turned back around to start moving again. "That's up to you, I guess."

"You can't tell me that you'd prefer me to stay. You don't even know me."

"No, I guess I don't. But if you leave, I'll never get the chance."

Her fingers wrapped around my hand again. "Will-,"

I squeezed them. "It's okay. Really, it's your choice. We _don't _know each other, but we have the school year. We can make stupid decisions later. Right now, I want to show you this."

She was quiet for a long moment before whispering, "Okay."

We'd made it to the edge of the trees.

Her eyes studied the area. "Hey, isn't this-,"

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Close them. And trust me."

She gave me a look. "I don't trust anyone. In fact, shouldn't I be scared to be alone with you right now? Your bodyguard is your bodyguard for a reason."

Stepping in closer to her, I swallowed hard and said, "You don't have to be afraid of me. I'd never hurt you. Ever."

Her response was breathy. "Well, okay then." And then she closed her eyes.

I led her out over the clearing on the cliff and stood her close to the edge. I slipped her bag off her shoulder and over her head to lay it at my feet. The sun glinted off the choppy water and the view seemed to stretch out into never-ending lengths. She gripped my hand tightly as a gust of wind came up and hit us hard.

"It's alright. I won't let you fall. Open your eyes."

I watched as she slowly opened them. The sun hit the green just right to make them glow in her tanned skin. Another gust of wind came up, pushing her hair back over her shoulders. She gasped in delight, a wide smiled spreading her lips. She glanced at me and grinned in astonished excitement.

Leaning in, I kissed her cheek. "Sometimes, even La Push has beautiful days," I whispered.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed. "I guess days like this would be worth hanging around for a while." Gripping my hand tighter, she stretched out to look down. "Do you guys really jump from way up here?"

"Only the pack. I haven't had the opportunity yet. The others jump from lower down. I do have a date with a cousin to cliff jump with her. I promised her that as soon as I phased, I'd take her. The younger kids are supposed to go with adults or pack members."

"How old is she?"

"Eleven. She's not really a blood cousin, but the pack is one big family. She and I have been close since she was born back when I was seven."

She looked at me. "You're eighteen?"

"Will be on Saturday."

Stepping back from the edge, she moved to me and went on her toes, kissing my cheek, her hands pressed to my chest. "Well then, I suppose I should wish you a happy birthday since you'll be spending the day with family," she whispered.

I turned my head a little, the corner of my mouth touching hers. "It's my birthday. I can spend it with whomever I want."

She put her weight back on her feet, but kept her hands on me. "Birthdays are meant to be shared with family. But who knows? Maybe _I'll_ take _you_ out at a later date."

I didn't realize my hands were lightly on her waist until my phone started belting Brayden's ringtone. We both looked down at my pocket, but I ignored it.

"Aren't you going to get that?" she asked, smiling up at me.

I shook my head. "It's Brayden wanting to cuss me out for ditching him. No doubt he'll actually punch me when he gets his hands on me."

Her lower lip made a cute little pout. "Well, maybe I should go ahead and kiss it, make it better."

I made a motion as if I were thinking about it. "I think you just want to kiss me, don't you?"

Her eyes moved to my lips, her own lip going between her teeth and she went up on her toes again. I met her halfway and had my first kiss. Her lips were sweet and warm, like chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven. They were soft and pliant under mine. And the best part was neither of us moved to deepen it. It was just a soft first kiss with plenty of room to move up and progress.

As my phone started up again, we pulled back laughing. Her lithe body was full-out leaning against mine, my hands gripping her waist.

"I guess he really wants his hands on you," she whispered.

Licking my lips, I pressed my forehead to hers. "That's actually my dad's ringtone. Probably wants to tell me to get my ass home."

Shakily, she pulled away, pushing against my chest. "Then I guess you should get your ass home. Don't want you grounded. I still have to take you out for your birthday."

"Hitting on me so soon?" I asked, repeating her words. My voice was deep with the need to kiss her again.

Her own laugh was deep and sultry as she picked up her bag and hung it across her body. "You could say that. But you are one of the most gorgeous men I've ever seen."

Chuckling, I gripped her hand and started for the woods again. "Who are the others?"

Her grin was the most mischievous I've ever seen. "Not telling."

Jaw dropping, I stared at her as she laughed her way past me. "Not fair! I told you."

"Yes, but that was you." She turned back to me and grinned. "Don't worry, though. No competition for you."

Shaking my head in amazement of her, I followed her back down the hill, helping her over the same logs and roots. But this time, touching her wasn't as awkward or formal. We both lingered to touch each other and she never let go of my hand.

"Do you want me to walk you down to your place?"

She shook her head. "No, you need to get back. I'm going to the grocery store anyway. Just get me out of the woods and I can find my way back."

I wanted more than anything to walk her back anyway, but she was right. Dad and Brayden were probably ready to send out a search party. Hell, I probably already had eyes on me. Too soon, we came out of the woods onto the main road leading to the rez.

Neither of us really knew what to say, but she brought my hand up and gently kissed my wrist. "Thank you for today. It was really nice. We'll have to go cliff jumping one day."

I nodded. "Yeah, it's fun. Kind of cold, but with my new body heat, it won't bother me."

She tried to hide the grin. "Are you saying you could keep me warm?"

Moving forward, I cupped her face. "Feel that?" She nodded. "That's all over me. I know you felt it but weren't paying attention. But the answer is, yes, I could keep you warm." I leaned into her again and gently pressed my lips to hers. Nothing long and languid, but short and sweet. "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you?"

Swallowing hard, she shook her head. "I'll be fine."

My phone started ringing again. Dad.

"You need to go."

"Yeah, you're right." I kissed her forehead before she pulled away and started down the street.

I watched until she disappeared.

I was in a shitload of trouble.

**HunterPOV**

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

Why did he have to be so damned charming?

I had to stay focused. It was essential that I did.

Taking deep breaths, I started thinking. Alright, so I got the hook deep enough. He was interested in me, clearly. And I…I…I was fighting my own attraction. But dammit! He was just a means to an end, a chess piece that was critical to have in my corner. He was a gorgeous, kind-hearted…plaything. And that's what I needed to remember.

What I didn't need to remember was his kiss, the taste of his lips, or the feel of his body under my hands. Or my body against his, his hands on my hips.

No! I wouldn't let him affect me. This was my game board. I was in control. And there was no way I was going to fall for him. There was no way I could, not with my revenge so close to coming to a conclusion.

Focused. I had to stay focused on my goal. And that goal was not finding romance with a russet-skinned stranger.

**WillPOV**

Staring up at my front door, I let out a breath of irritation. Deciding to get it over with, I jumped the porch steps and opened the front door.

Only to get a fist slammed into my face. Flying back, I landed at the bottom of the porch steps.

"Brayden!" I heard my mother yell.

Wincing, I put the back of my hand to the corner of my lip.

Brayden stalked out of the house and to the edge of the porch to glare down at me. "I can hit you now, Black, without having to worry about killing you, you son of a bitch."

I glared right back. "That's my mother you're talking about."

He jumped over the stairs to land at my feet. "Don't be a smartass with me. You really don't want to know how far it'll push me." Bending down, he gripped the collar of my shirt and lifted me up off the ground so that we were nose to nose. "You fucking asshole! I was responsible for you! And you just blow me off. Is this a game to you? What if someone had pissed you off? What if _she _had pissed you off while you were alone with her? You could have killed someone!"

Grabbing his wrists, I glared at him. "I would never hurt her."

"Why? Because you imprinted?"

I growled. "I already told you, no. I'd never hurt a female. I may have raised my voice to her, but I would never have raised a hand."

Growling himself, he pulled me closer. "I don't believe you," he gritted out.

"And why is that? Because you know so much about imprints?" I hissed. "Go on. Tell us. Is that what you're hiding when you phase? You know, I could always ask my grandfather."

A look of horror followed by disgust moved across his expression. He threw me back onto the ground before walking off into the woods. Leaning over, I spat a mouthful of blood onto the dirt. Aunt Shelby rushed out of the house to follow him, but I caught her angry glare at me before she vanished where he had. Dad was holding Mom back with one arm but was also glaring down at me. Slowly, I got to my feet.

"Are you proud of yourself, son?" he demanded. "He's your best friend and doesn't want to see you suffer from accidentally hurting someone. He made a vow to both me and you to protect you as if you were his own brother, and _that's _how you repay him? That's how you repay me for not having you heavily guarded twenty-four/seven? I could have put you on complete lockdown, but I didn't. I trusted you, Will."

There was anger in his eyes but it was the disappointment I couldn't face. So I looked away.

"Get in the house and clean yourself up," he ordered angrily. "Dinner will be ready at five. You'll come down to eat, clean up the kitchen, and then go right back up to your room. No visiting from your sister and brothers. You're spending the night isolated." He motioned with his hand, palm up. "Your phone." When I hesitated, he ordered, "Now, William." Digging it out, I threw it to him. If he was trying to keep me from talking to Hunter, it didn't matter. I'd never gotten her number. He turned to go back into the house, but pivoted back before he stepped inside. "And if it wasn't clear, you're to go up to the bathroom, clean up, and get your ass in your room _before dinner_. Watch TV and read all you want, but as your dad, I know what means more to you. And that's what you're not getting."

He marched back into the house, leaving the door open. Mom was standing there with tears in her eyes, looking down at me.

I moved up the steps and moved out of the way when she reached for me. "Don't, Mom."

When I went into the house, Dad was barking orders to Jules, Maddox, and Ash not to talk to me and not to visit me tonight in my room. The three of them just stared at me as I moved for the stairs. I did as I was told and cleaned up, taking a shower. Jules was waiting outside the door in the hallway. She didn't say anything because Dad was no doubt listening. All she did was reach out to grip my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Your room, Will," Dad yelled up the stairs. "Now." Somehow, he just knew what Jules would do. "Jules, get whatever you need out of your room and get back down here."

Her aqua eyes were sad but I squeezed her hand nodded before moving around her. Once in my room, I closed the door firmly so he heard it. I'd always thought my room was comfortable/cozy, but now it just seemed dark and lonely. Of course, I'd been in my room alone. The twins and Jules didn't spend every night with me, but just knowing that none of them, probably not even Mom, would be coming to check on me or say good night hurt my heart. Now that I was away from Hunter and her influence, I felt like complete shit for what I'd done to Brayden. Dad was right. He'd been my best friend since I was born, and he'd always had my back. And then pushing the imprint question. I'd gotten my answer, but at what price? Did he absolutely hate me now? Is that what our years of friendship had boiled down to? Did I like the babysitting? No, but when had it gone from hanging out to being babysat for me? All he wanted to do was protect me from myself. When I'd asked him about his phasing, his response had been guarded and tense, letting me know something had happened or almost happened. I hadn't been around because Dad hadn't wanted me too close.

What a fucking mess.

Growling in irritation at myself, I laid back on my bed and ticked the minutes until dinner.

* * *

**Ahh, who else thinks angry daddy Jake is hot? See? He can discipline his kids. So many of you are guessing about Hunter. Again, I ask that you keep your guessings vague in reviews. You can PM me and vent all you want but please please please! Because some of you are right, but let's let others come to the same conclusions on their own even if I don't confirm any. It'll just make me feel better. Thanks! I love all y'all! xoxoxoxoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**Phew! Chapter 6. Man, how am I putting out these long chapters? This is crazy. But anyway, after I post, I tend to go back and read the preview on the site, and I realize I've been making some freaking awful typos. Geez. I don't catch them in Word even though I do go back and reread stuff. So, I apologize for any here and in the future. Just know that I do know about them. So, I know that a lot of you want to see more of Will in wolf form. Unfortunately, this chapter with not be that chapter. But it is coming, I promise. I can't just jump into everything that everybody wants. We will see Leah and Gage together. Of course, there will be more Jules and Brayden. They seem to be a favorite couple already. I promise that all the things will happen. Just give it time. Anticipation makes _everything _better!**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

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**JulesPOV**

I'd never seen my dad so angry. And especially not at one of us.

The next morning, Will came downstairs, ate breakfast, and cleaned all the dishes. Not one word was said from him to us nor us to him. He kept his eyes averted. Dad was still angry, and Mom spoke in low tones.

"Dad," Will said softly.

At the head of the table, Dad looked up expectantly.

Will stood up, swallowing hard, and looked around at all of us. "I just wanted to apologize. To all of you. I shouldn't have done what I did yesterday. I know that all of you worry about me. We worry about each other. It's what a family does. And I know I need to apologize to Brayden. He was right. Knowing him, though, I should still give him a couple more days to cool off. Or he might beat the crap out of me." Finally, he met Dad's eyes. "I'm sorry that I broke your trust in me. I never wanted that to happen. From now on, I'll think better about my actions."

For a long moment after he finished, Mom, Maddox, Ash, and I all shared looks and glanced between Dad and Will. Dad studied Will while my brother wouldn't meet his eyes. Finally, Dad leaned a little and dug into his pocket. He slid Will's phone across the table.

Surprised, Will caught it and looked up at Dad.

"Shouldering your responsibility gets rewarded, son." Then he got serious, pointing his fork at my brother and raising his eyebrows. "But you ditch Henry today, he has my permission to beat the crap out of you and drag you back by your hair. Understand?"

Mom looked at Dad sharply, but he didn't acknowledge it.

Will nodded. "Yes, sir."

"You'll be on full lockdown if it happens. I'll drive you to school and drop you off at the front door. You act like a child, I treat you like a child. Is that what you want?"

Will shook his head. "No, sir."

"Then you best remember that."

"Yes, sir." Will tucked his phone into his pocket and went for the door, clearly leaving for school early without us. He never met our eyes and that made me hurt for him. This was because of that girl.

Will was almost out the door when Dad said, "And son?" Will turned. "Don't call me 'sir'. I'm your father, not your drill instructor."

My brother grinned and nodded. "Sure, Pop, whatever you say."

Dad gave him a droll look. "You're grounded."

Will laughed his way out the door and the rest of us joined in. Dad hated to be called "pop". He swore it made him sound ancient. That's why we did it just to irritate him.

He looked at the three of us. "You kids need to learn from this, alright? Phasing isn't a joke and it shouldn't be taken lightly. It's okay to be excited about it, but don't treat it like the wolf is a toy. It's dangerous and can be lethal."

The three of us nodded.

Then it was time for us to go. We put our glasses in the sink, said our goodbyes, and left after grabbing our backpacks.

I walked between my brothers. "Is Brayden really that mad?" He'd refused to talk to me, to even be in my presence. But he'd talked to the twins.

Maddox chuckled darkly. "Oh yeah. Will made him feel incompetent in front of the whole pack. I'd be pissed, too. And I don't blame him for sucker punching him either."

"I have to agree," Ash said. "Two males going at it like that, there's bound to be some blood somewhere. But I've never seen Brayden that mad."

"Yeah, well, when someone you really care about as a brother betrays you, it'll piss you off more than you could ever dream," Maddox said.

I glared at him. "It wasn't a betrayal."

"Actually," Ash butted in, "it was." Then he leaned around me to look at our brother. "And how would you know how badly it'll piss you off? Nobody's ever hurt you like that."

Maddox rolled his eyes. "No, but I do read and watch movies. And I can imagine the feeling if one of you ever did something to me."

Ash cleared his throat and frowned, not saying anything else. The rest of the walk to school was quiet and fast. Piper and Ava met me at the front door. The twins split up, heading for their different groups of friends. The tension broke as soon as they went their separate ways. Clearly there was something up with Ash, but honestly, I was more worried about Will at the moment.

"How's Will?" Ava asked.

I opened the front doors. "Perks of being a werewolf: you heal fast when someone decides to punch you in the face."

"Hey," Piper said defensively. "Will deserved it for what he did to Brayden. What the hell was he thinking running off with her anyway? What if she's a psycho serial killer?"

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, I blame her for all of this crap."

"Guys, I think I'm going to go to the library before class. I want to start looking at topics for our term papers," Ava said.

Piper nodded. "Good idea. I have no idea what to write on. Jules? Coming with?"

I shook my head and lied. "No, I need to get to my locker which is across the building from my first class."

Ava raised her eyebrows. "Ah, the dreaded locker destination. Good luck and happy running."

"Thanks."

As they moved for the stairs up to the library, I moved toward Hunter's locker. I already had my books for first class. Stalking down the hallways, I turned the corner to get to hers only to stop. Will was standing there talking to her. He was a head taller than her and didn't look like he should be in high school anymore. The growth spurts had done a number on him. Hunter was blushing and looking around as if worried people might see or overhear them. Will paid no never mind to anyone. His eyes were all for her.

_Yeah, way to reel her in, big brother. By falling for her after_ two days_!_ I yelled mentally.

He bent to say something to her quietly. She nodded and he walked off, grinning, his body brushing hers as he passed her. I could feel my face contort into a disgusted expression, my lip curling up. All I wanted to do was throw up breakfast. He swore up and down to Brayden that he hadn't imprinted. But what other reason would make him act like that toward her? He'd never even glanced at other girls. It was like he was oblivious to them. All of them except her.

The blonde was digging into her bag and slowly working on closing the locker door. I got there first and slammed it shut to grab her attention. Other students turned to stare but I ignored them.

When she looked up startled, I put my best bitch face on. "What the-,"

"What's going on between you and my brother?" I demanded.

Still looking startled, she stared at me. "I don't see how that's any of your business if he hasn't told you."

"Oh, it's my business, especially if it affects our home life. Sneaking off with you yesterday caused a shit storm of a domino effect. And it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't been in the picture." Stepping closer, I lowered my voice. "Do you not understand how dangerous he is right now? The smallest thing can set him off. I don't care if you want to sexercise together, he could still hurt you. And frankly, I don't feel like cleaning up the mess of him beating himself up over _you_. Either you force him to play by the rules with his chaperones until he's had more training, or you stay the hell away from him. Either way, let me make myself clear. You hurt my brother in any way, shape, or form, I will rip you apart and bury you so deep that nobody will ever find you."

Her green eyes flashed. "Are you threatening me?"

My grin was just slightly evil. "No, sister. I'm promising you that's what I'll do." Reaching around, I snapped the lock on her locker for her. "Have a nice day." And then I pushed past her to head to class ignoring all the stunned expressions that followed me.

**WillPOV**

I was sitting outside on a bench pulling out the two roast beef sandwiches Mom had packed. Even now, she liked to pack our lunches for us to make sure we didn't bring a bunch of junk. There were also two bags of chips and a huge bottle of water. I was in the process of pulling out the second bag of chips when Hunter came out of nowhere and put a quick kiss to my cheek before sitting across from me. I'd asked her to sit with me earlier this morning.

I grinned. "Hey."

Several of the girls at the other tables glared at Hunter's back. I just grinned.

"Hey." She pulled out her own lunch of two slices of heavily meat-ed pizzas. She looked a little distracted by something else.

"Everything okay?"

She shrugged. "Sure."

I quirked an eyebrow and put a hand on her wrist. "That answer wasn't terribly convincing. What's up?"

"It was nothing, really. Jules just stopped by my locker after you left."

Frowning, I pulled out my first sandwich. "Jules? I didn't know you two were friends."

She shook her head. "We aren't. Not really."

Now my suspicion bloomed. "Then what did she want?"

Her smile was as bright and empty as a lightbulb. "Will, really, it was nothing."

I gave her a warning look. "Hunter, if my sister wasn't there for friendly conversation, she was there for something else."

Reaching across the table, she took my hand. "Just some protective sisterly stuff. She was being sweet about treating you right."

"Sweet? Hunter, when she gets protective, it's not sweet. I know her temper. What did she say?" When she didn't answer, I stood up with the intent to go find my sister.

Now she got stern and gripped my wrist. "Will, please. If we're going to be friends, I have to get used to being an outsider, okay? It's between me and Jules. And me and Piper. They're females who care about you, alright? It's perfectly understandable that they'd be protective. Put it in wolf terms and I'm an outsider. They're alpha females. I have to earn my keep."

Slowly, I sat back down. "You're sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about it. If I didn't want to be here, sitting across from you or having had yesterday happen, I wouldn't be worrying over how to get in good with them. But I am concerned about it because I want to be here and I want more yesterdays."

Calming down a bit, I messed with her fingers. The nails were painted a sheer purple. "Okay. So, when is my birthday dinner date?"

She grinned and went back to her pizza. "I don't know the area that well."

"There's a good Italian place in Port Angeles."

"You'll have to drive because I don't know how to get there."

I cleared my throat. "I, uh, I don't have a car."

Instead of blasting me with "you're so lame", she just smiled. "I do. We can take mine."

"Alright, then. I'll drive. But that didn't answer the question of when?"

"Well," she said, chewing on her pizza. The toes of her shoes tapped on top of mine under the table. "How about next weekend?"

I nodded. "Good. We always have a weekend bonfire for birthdays. So it'll be going Friday night to Sunday night this weekend. Will you come?"

Her eyes looked at me over her pizza and she slowed her chewing. "Um, is that okay? I mean, I don't want to piss anybody off."

"Hunter," I said, leaning forward, "you just said you want to get in good. If you come, I promise I won't leave you alone for a second. They'll be forced to be nice."

"I don't know," she said slowly. "Meeting the family so soon?" she said playfully.

"That's not what this is. At least not yet anyway. Just think of it as a giant school party."

Now she laughed. "Yeah because the last school party I went to turned out so well."

"Just think about it. Please?"

She studied me before blowing a breath out. "Fine. I'll think about it."

I grinned around the bite of sandwich I just took.

She laughed and shook her head. "I swear," she said under her breath.

**JPOV**

Later in the afternoon, a feeling was nagging me about that girl. Finally, I just grabbed my jacket and keys.

"Xavier, I'm gonna head out for a second. I'll call if I'm not gonna make it back in."

"Sure thing, boss." His son, Matthew was sitting on the counter beside his father's elbow, swinging his legs. The kid was cute with auburn/blondish hair and bright green eyes. He waved at me as I left. Shannon, Xavier's wife, had needed some quiet time to get some things done so I'd told them that Matt could hang out here as long as Xavier was on desk duty to watch him. Customers were used to kids hanging out since each one of mine had come to work with me at some point or other when they'd been younger.

"Bye!" he called out.

I grinned. "Bye, Matt. See you later."

"Otay!"

Hopping into my truck, I drove out to the old Bennett/Jamison house. It was back in the woods, remote, and close to the beach. As far as I knew, nobody had bought or been in that house for years. There were several rumors as to why the Bennett's and Mrs. Bennett's brother had abandoned the place but never sold it. The most common was that they'd murdered someone and used the house to cover it up. But since the house was still in their ownership and kept up, there was no evidence or validity to the story to warrant searching it.

After about five minutes of driving through the woods on a dirt road, I pulled to a stop a few yards from the house. There was a Jeep Liberty parked beside the house. The area had been recently mowed down. No weeds or tall grasses. Different flowering plants that could survive here were growing in pots on the windows and around the front porch. This house had been built more along a cabin than Embry's cottage. Wooden logs had been used to build the porch and the house. It had that rustic feel to it. Everything was clean and put in place.

Walking up, I put my hand to the hood of the car. Cold. Hadn't been driven today. Closing my eyes, I listened for anything or anybody close by. Nothing. Going around, I tried the passenger door. Surprisingly, it was unlocked. Digging through the glove box, I found the registration. The name read Hunter Jamison. Looking around inside it made me frown. Either it was a fairly new purchase or she was an extremely clean person. Not that the cleanliness meant anything really. It was just odd for a teenager, especially thinking about how my Tahoe looked after the kids borrowed it to go to Port Angeles or Seattle. I shuddered with the memory. After I put everything back, I closed the door and went to the house. The front door was locked, which wasn't a surprise so I cupped my hands over the window to the living room and looked inside. Again, it was clean, sparsely furnished, but still comfortable. Still, there was nothing personal in the décor. No knickknacks or pictures in frames. Just furniture.

Frowning, I moved off the porch. Something else was off, but I just couldn't put my finger on it.

"Can I help you?"

Looking up found me staring at a young girl, eighteen maybe nineteen. She was holding a paper grocery bag.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, wow. You must be Will's dad."

I nodded. "How'd you guess?"

She laughed. "You two look scarily alike."

I chuckled. "I'm Jacob."

She made a motion as if to reach out and shake my hand but the bag was in the way. I took it from her. "Thanks. I'm Hunter Jamison."

We shook hands but I frowned. "Jamison? Isn't that your uncle's name?"

Surprise widened her eyes again.

I quickly caught myself. "Will and Ash told me a little about you. A new student moves in and everybody's curious."

"Oh, of course." She took her keys out of her bag and moved up to the front door. "The lawyers said it would make things easier if I took his last name since it was also my adoptive mother's maiden name. Don't ask me why. I just did what they said."

"I hear you on that."

Motioning with her head after she opened the door, she said, "Come on in. Will's a good friend and I suppose I should be nice to his dad and pack leader."

I followed her in and she showed me where to put the groceries. "So you know about the pack, huh?"

"Yeah. My parents and uncle taught me. They kept up with news from home. They wanted me informed in case I should ever come here."

She unpacked the bag and started putting things away.

"Sounds reasonable. Is my son treating you well?"

Now she lit up, her eyes glowing. "Oh yes. He's so sweet. I think it might be Piper and Jules I need to watch out for, though. They're just a little protective of him."

I chuckled again, knowing my daughter's temper. "Yeah, well, don't let them get to you. Jules has always been that way with her big brother. She thinks he spends too much time protecting his younger siblings than worrying about himself. I've heard people be accused being too selfish, but not selfless. And Piper? She's feisty like her mother. It also doesn't help that she's always had a crush on Will."

"Ah, that explains so much. Well, I'm sure we'll find a way to get along. I really like Will, so I know that I have to at least try to get along with his friends." Backing up to the counter, she pushed herself up to sit on top of it. "May I ask you a question?"

Leaning against the counter across from her, I crossed my arms. "Go for it."

"If I were to get into trouble, would I call the rez police or you guys?"

That made me chuckle a little before it turned into a laugh. "Ah, I don't know. I'm assuming you have Will's number."

Her cheeks flushed and she bit her lip. "Actually, no. We haven't really gotten there or talked about it."

"I see." But I could see why Will liked her so much. Her tanned skin made her blonde hair shine, and her green eyes glowed. She was exceptionally beautiful for a teenage girl. There was also something vaguely familiar about her. I knew I'd never seen her before; I'd have remembered that. But she was very charming, as well. "Well," I said, "when you do have his number, you can call us. The rez police still deal with all the major crimes, but we'll take care of family disputes, abusive family members, or anything supernatural trying to kill you. But since you seem to be good friends with my son, you can call us for anything. Sound good?"

She grinned. "Sounds perfect. I'll remember that."

There was a notepad beside my hand. I scribbled out my name and number and the number of the shop. "If you need me, this is where you can reach me. But there is something you need to understand about me and my kids. To a lot of the tribe, I'm considered the chief because of my position in the pack. If we were in a different time, I would be officially. And Will is set to follow me. My family and I tend to get treated differently. Try to remember that we didn't ask for it, alright?"

"Of course."

Standing up again, I started for the door. "I've got to get back to the shop. You take care, Hunter. It was nice to meet you."

She jumped down to follow me. "I will. Thank you for coming by. Will asked me if I would come to his birthday bonfire over the weekend, but I'm still not sure."

"That's a great idea. My wife would love to meet you." When she still looked unconvinced, I said, "Don't worry about the girls. There are rules to our bonfire. If you aren't nice, you don't get to stay. And honestly, since Will shook his best friend to spend a little time with you, I'm sure he'd love to have you there. He wouldn't have asked if he didn't."

She winced. "Yeah, isn't that best friend mad at me for that?"

I tried to make my smile reassuring. "It'll blow over. It always does with those two."

"If you say so. But like I told Will, I'll think about it. Although, I hope it's okay if I take him out for his birthday next weekend."

My smile was just on the verge of a grin. "Are you asking my permission to take my son on a date?"

For a moment, she looked taken aback, and then she shrugged. "I guess I am.

Now I laughed. I could really see why my son liked her. "I suppose things have changed since I was your age, but no, I don't mind."

"Good," she said, glowing again. "I'd really hate to have to break a promise to him."

"Can't have that."

"No, I suppose not."

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Hunter. Hopefully we'll see you this weekend. No pressure."

She choked out a laugh. "Oh I feel it. It was nice to meet you, too, Mr. Black."

She opened the door for me and I left. I waited long enough to hear the door lock behind me. Good girl. The father with a daughter part of me didn't like the fact that she was a teenage girl living alone in the middle of the woods. Going to my truck, I took a deep breath. And frowned. That's it. That's what was missing. Her scent. All I'd scented in her car was the leather and fabric of the seats and the air freshener. And in the house, I'd smelled the food in the bag, the Febreze, and the candles, but nothing of her. Not even when I was close to her. And that wasn't right. Everybody had a scent, and they left a little of that scent on their belongings. Everything she owned was missing that.

With that realization, I could see the validity of Piper's and Jules's suspicion. Maybe it was a good thing she liked Will. Keeping her close would be a good idea for now.

**JulesPOV**

The pounding on my door made me jump so bad that my hand skipped over the page of my homework, the pencil scribbling out a long line across the paper.

Irritated, I yelled, "What?!"

Will strode in a moment later looking murderous. "We need to talk."

"Clearly," I grumbled. "About what?"

"I think you know." He came to stand over me, arms crossed over his massive chest. Damn, he was huge now, just like Dad.

Feigning ignorance, I started erasing the pencil line. "I know a lot of things, William. You'll have to be more specific."

His hand came down hard over my notebook. "Don't get cute, Jules. Hunter told me you said something to her. And knowing your temper about me and the twins, it was a threat. I'm telling you right now to leave her alone."

Huffing, I tried to move his hand but it wouldn't budge. Eventually, I gave up and just glared at him. "I don't like her, Will. You told Brayden that you were going to be friends with her to keep her close."

"Yes, and I can't do that if you threaten her away."

Pushing my chair away from the desk, I stood to face him. "But that's not how you're acting, Will," I yelled. "You're acting like she's your girlfriend. You don't even know her!"

He growled at me, lips curling up. I could feel the heat pouring off of him. He was close to phasing right here in my room. A lick of fear raced down my spine, but I beat it out as best I could.

Taking a deep breath, I moved around him to close my door before lowering my voice. "You don't have to tell Brayden everything. But be honest with me. Did you imprint on her?"

His averted gaze and ceased growling told me everything I needed to know.

I sat down heavily on my bed. "Oh, Will. Have you told anyone?"

"I didn't say that I did, Jules."

"You didn't have to," I snapped. "Are you forgetting to whom you're talking? I can read you better than you can. So you haven't told anybody?"

Giving in, he sighed, sat down in my chair, and put his face in his hands. "No. I haven't. And you're not going to, either. Not Piper, Ava, the twins. Not Mom or Dad. Nobody is going to know, not even Hunter until we know for sure about her. Look, even with the imprint, I'm trying to be objective when I'm around her. But it's hard. I know you don't like her, but I need you on my side, Jules. I can't do this without you. Just please try to be civil. I'm not asking you to be her new bff, alright? Just don't threaten her anymore."

Sinking to my knees beside him, I rubbed his back. "Alright. Okay. I'll try, but you know Piper is not going to like this. I mean, Will, they're going to guess that you imprinted if you come out and say that you two are dating. There's a reason none of us date. We don't want that whole Sam/Emily/Leah fiasco that we were told about. And now that you phased, you can't just say that you decided to date."

When he looked at me, his eyes held so much uncertainty and vulnerability that my heart ached for him. "What do you suggest?"

"Try not to be too smitten in public or at least around the pack. Don't be so affectionate. They'll guess that you've imprinted, but you can show them that you're still focused on the pack and not your hormones. I'll try to talk to Dad about giving you some more privacy with her." I pointed at him and gave him a stern look. "But really, Will, that won't be easy with what you pulled yesterday. Be good at least until next week, and I'll try to sweet talk him. If I can pull it off, it'll give you time alone with her so that you can try to get more personal stuff from her. And if you horizontally tango with her, I do _not _want to know about it."

That pulled a startled laugh out of him. "I think I can manage that."

"Good. And you should really apologize to Brayden."

His expression turned sad. "I really don't know what to say to him. I fucked up."

"Well say that. He loves to hear you admit to fucking up."

A strangled noise came out of his throat as he turned to stare at me.

I gave him innocent eyes. "What? You can cuss but your sister can't? Please. Hanging out with you guys all the time taught me a few things." Softening my tone and expression, I took his hand. "Don't worry. We'll work this out. I promise. I won't tell anyone, but this won't be easy. We pretty much all feel that there's something up with her. If you can dig up stuff and you tell us that she checks out, we'll believe you. At least I will. And you know how I am at persuasion. Being a daddy's girl also taught me a few things."

He just nodded. "Thank you, Jules."

I grinned. "That's what I'm here for. If the three of you didn't have me, Mom would be pulling her hair out and Dad would find a way to be an alcoholic werewolf."

Now he laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right." Leaning over, he kissed my cheek. "Love you, little sister."

"Love you, too. Now go do your own homework."

He left chuckling. Rolling my eyes, I decided to worry about normal teenage stuff. Algebra.

Later that night, after dinner, I was feeling too restless. It made me anxious that Brayden wasn't talking to Will, and that Brayden wasn't talking to me in relation. So, I decided to go for a walk around the little man-made lake that sat between our cabins. Lo and behold, a lone figure was sitting at the edge of the dock that had been built. He had his jeans rolled up to his knees, feet in the chilly water. A lot of the wolves liked to jump in every now and then to do laps or to cool off after a patrol. I wouldn't dare. It was too cold for me. But then again, I hadn't phased yet.

Walking around the lake, I quietly made my way down the narrow dock that was in the shape of a T. As I crouched and sat down beside him, Brayden looked up at me.

"Hey," I said, quietly, crossing my legs.

"Hi."

I nodded toward black glass his feet were submerged in. "How is it?"

He shrugged. "Feels good to me. Probably like ice water to you."

"Probably."

We went quiet for a few minutes, listening to the night animals and the crickets. It was unseasonably warm tonight, but the breeze coming off the water chilled my skin. I shivered.

"You cold?" He started unbuttoning his shirt. "Here."

I laughed. "No need to start stripping. I'll be fine."

He shook his head and slipped the shirt off anyway, leaving him in a bright white tank. "_I'll _be fine. _You _don't need to get sick again." After draping it across my shoulders, he rubbed my arms. "Better?"

I couldn't help the smile. "Better. Thanks. So…you wanna talk about it?"

His eyes and expression darkened before he looked out over the water again. "Not particularly."

Fine. I'd do the talking. "Brayden, I understand how you feel. Really, I do. He disrespected you. You're his best friend, why would he do something like that? I get it. But he feels awful about it. You should see him. He and Henry aren't as close so now he really feels like he's being babysat."

"Good," he said bitterly. "Serves him right."

"And I agree. He was being reckless. He just doesn't know how to apologize to you, terrified he'll say the wrong thing to make you hate him even more."

"I don't hate him," Bray said quickly.

Leaning over, I looked down at the water. "You two have never gone a day without talking or at least fighting. He's really starting to get paranoid about it. Please. He's better at controlling himself."

"It's only been a day, Jules."

"I know. But he got really mad at me earlier. Growling, vibrating, heat pouring off of him."

Brayden whipped around, baring his teeth. "What?"

"But it was fine," I went on quickly. "He calmed down." I put my hand on his arm, a shock of warmth searing my skin. It shook my breath a little. "He's good," I whispered to hide how he affected me. "But he needs you. Promise me you'll at least think about it."

"Fine," he said between clenched teeth, like it he was trying not to say it.

I patted his hand. "Thank you."

Before I could pull away, he gripped my fingers. His eyes were fierce and a little scared. He swallowed hard. "Jules, I've already forgiven him for this. But if he ever hurt you…or anyone else I care about," he tacked on, "I could never forgive him for that. Ever."

I balked at the fierce protection and devotion in his tone. "Brayden, the only real thing that could hurt me is if you or Piper ever left my life. Just as I can't live without my brothers, I can't live without the two of you. I love you."

He closed his eyes, the tension draining from his face as if that was all he'd ever wanted to hear.

It confused me but I ignored it and said, "That's why I needed you to talk to Will. I'm being selfish."

He choked out a laugh. "Well, if it's for you, of course I'll talk to him."

Staring at him, I frowned. "Bray, I really don't understand you. You talk to me like you want to be with me, or at least try. But every time we're in public or someone brings it up, you laugh it off like a joke. If you imprinted on me, would you tell me?"

"Jules-,"

"And if you did, why _not _tell me? What are you hiding? _Why _are you hiding?"

He turned to me and gripped my shoulders. "Jules, please. Stop. Just stop."

"I just want to understand," I whispered.

His green eyes were sad. "I know. But I can't, Jules." Letting me go, he stood up and started back toward his house.

I felt the loss of him like a clench in my gut. "Bray." When he turned, I decided to change what I was going to say. "Hunter is going to start being around a lot. Piper needs to be warned. She won't like it that Will's with her."

He nodded. "Thanks for the heads up."

I gripped his shirt, then said, "Wait. Your shirt."

He waved a hand behind him. "Keep it. I have plenty more."

I waited on the dock until I heard the door to his house close before I burst into tears. Getting up, I did my best not to topple over into the lake. I wanted to both rip the shirt from my shoulders and hold it tighter to me. Keeping it, I ran for the house, managing to stub my toe a few times before I got up the porch steps. Before I opened the door though, I did my best to calm down, taking deep breaths, and wiping the tears away. No doubt my eyes were horridly red and puffy. I couldn't help that. So, I took another breath and opened the door. Will, Dox, and Ash were on the floor playing video games. Mom was reading, and Dad was massaging her feet while watching the boys.

"Jules, what's wrong?" Ash demanded.

They all looked up at me at first in surprise and then in worry while I just stood there, shivering in Brayden's shirt. "N-n-n-nothing."

"Jules," Dad said in his nobody-better-have-touched-my-baby-girl tone.

But I didn't look at any of the boys. I looked to Mom. Her copper hair was in two braids framing her face. A worried frown pulled her brows low. "Sweetie? What is it?" She closed her book and put it on the coffee table as she stood up.

As she moved past Dad to walk toward me, I burst into tears again and ran into her arms. She hugged me to her and rubbed my back, gently rocking. "It's alright, sweetheart. Whatever it is, it's going to be okay." Leaning back, she tried to study my face. "Why don't we get you upstairs?"

I nodded, but my knees collapsed. Dad was there a second later, scooping me into his arms. I tucked my face into his shoulder and wept. His hold tightened around me and he rested his cheek on my hair. "Shh, it's alright, baby girl. You're safe."

_Maybe physically_, I thought through my sobs. But something inside me didn't feel alright or safe. It felt like a fracture. I'd told Brayden that I love him and Piper. And I did. Just differently. I'd always been close to Brayden, but when I'd started hitting puberty and stopped seeing boys as having cooties, I'd realized that Brayden made my blood boil. When I had started at the high school, he'd been a junior and I could hear the girls gossip and whisper about him and my brother. I saw the way they'd watch him, the same way I'd started to. But I knew I had to hide it as best I could. The kids of the pack knew better than to date, than to fall in love. But even after all the warnings and the stories, I still wanted him something fierce. And the feelings had only deepened, cracking the guard that we all had, instead of being brushed away by time.

They took me into my room and Dad set me on my bed. When Mom tried to take Brayden's shirt off me, I ripped it out of her grasp and held it tighter to me even though his scent of woods, wolf, and a hint of his aftershave killed me. I saw the look Mom and Dad shared through my tears, but I didn't care. They probably realized what I was crying about now, though.

"Maybe I should handle this," Mom whispered to Dad.

He looked down at me helplessly before nodding. His lips were warm on my forehead before he left to go downstairs. Mom climbed onto my bed and pulled me into her lap. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I buried my face in her stomach and kept on crying. Her fingers gently untangled my hair as she hummed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked eventually.

I shook my head, but my sobbing had turned into just hiccupping tears. My body felt light and floating, my head buzzing.

Even though I'd just said I didn't want to talk about it, I said, "I just want to understand, Mom. He doesn't make any sense."

"Brayden?"

I nodded, sniffled, and sat up a little so that I rested against her shoulder. I wiped my eyes with the cuff of Bray's shirt. "Ugh. Has anyone told you about what happens with us?"

She continued to stroke my hair. "You mean the kids in general?"

I nodded.

"Not really. Of course I hear gossip and rumors, but you and your brothers aren't exactly forthcoming."

I laughed. "I suppose not." Gaining control of myself again, I pulled back and sat cross-legged facing her. "Okay so, I think everyone knows that I was crushing on Brayden. Well, it didn't go away, Mom. It's gotten stronger. And when Bray and I are alone, he's sweet and says things that only an interested guy should say to his girl. But then, when we're in front of everyone, he just plays it off and laughs, saying that he's acting like he's crushing so that I don't get bothered by other guys who aren't pack, you know? And it's so frustrating. Like tonight. He's still really pissed at Will, but when I asked him to talk to him again soon for Will's sake he said no. So I asked him to do it for me. And he said that since it was for me, he'd do it. I know he and I are best friends, but he made it sound like more. He also said he'd never be able to forgive Will if he hurt me in any way." Frustrated, I growled and threw my upper body back onto my bed to stare at my ceiling. "I just don't get it, Mom. Did he imprint? If he did, why won't he tell me?"

Chuckling, Mom reached out to pat my knee. "Did you ask him that?"

"Yeah. He just got really sad and said that he couldn't. He just…couldn't. I know he's hiding something. Even Will says he is when they're phased."

"Well, baby, if he did imprint, maybe there's a reason he can't tell you. You do know that your dad kept it from me for years. I'd never even heard the word 'imprint' until Emily accidentally spilled it. He'd forbidden the wolves to tell me, but Emily was human. She could break it."

I lifted my head up. "Really? Dad didn't tell you? Even after he knew you'd matured?"

She nodded. "Even after."

I frowned and sat back up. "Why?"

Her smile was amused as if she were remembering something. "Looking back on it now, I find it amusing and sweet. But back then, I was ready to rip him apart for keeping it from me. However, his reason was that he was scared."

I balked, eyes widening. "_Dad_? My dad, Jacob Black, was _scared_?"

Amused, she nodded. "Yep. We'd been inseparable since I was born. You see, imprints have the choice. Remember we taught you that. You father was terrified that I wouldn't reciprocate his love, that I'd just want to remain best friends and want to find someone mostly normal. Apparently I'd been better at hiding my own feelings than I'd thought if that's what he was scared of. I loved your father. All my life. And not once in my lifetime had I ever thought of him as a brother. He was always my friend, and then my best friend."

"So," I said, picking a string on the cuff of the shirt. "You're saying that if Brayden did imprint on me, he's scared I'll say no?"

"Possibly." And then she sighed and I knew she was about to say something I wouldn't like. "Or, he may have imprinted on someone else and is trying to figure out what to do about it. You've been one of his best friends for a long time, baby. And he cares about you. Hurting you would hurt him even if he imprinted on another girl. You don't lose that kind of caring no matter who your soul mate is. Your friends are still your friends."

"That's what you think it is, isn't it?" I asked quietly.

"Honestly, baby, I don't know. Seeing him around you, it looks like he wished he had. And then some days, he treats you like you're his little sister like Piper. I can't give you a straight answer. I wish I could. But like me and your father, this is something that you need to go through on your own. We'll always be here to carry you and to be your crying pillows, but we can't live your life for you or make your decisions. You and your brothers are old enough now to know that you don't always need our guidance. Maybe a little push. The four of you and the other kids of the pack already know so much more about this world than any of those other kids ever will. That kind of knowledge matures you faster, forcing you to outgrow your immaturity. I wish it could have been normal for you where you could fall in love over and over, have your heart broken, and make you stronger. But we didn't want you to have guilty consciences about breaking someone else's heart like that. It hurt Sam to hurt Leah, but he really couldn't do anything."

Those words hurt me deep inside and yet made absolutely perfect sense. Lowering my head, I found that I still had some quiet tears left.

Mom reached forward to put her fingers under my chin. When I looked up at her, she wiped my cheeks. It was so weird how she looked so young like me and Piper, and yet, all I could see was that she was my mother. Those kind chocolate eyes so full of memories and past experiences that I had yet to go through. We'd all been told about the fight with Tristan's pack and that these gentle hands on my face now had once torn apart another vampire and helped kill other werewolves, all for our safety. It was the same with Dad. He'd shish-kabobbed another man to a tree, and tortured and killed another for information. And yet, they were my parents and I loved them very much, never fearing that they'd raise their hands to me or my brothers.

Her eyes were soft and gentle. "Sweetheart, I know it hurts right now. It hurts a lot. I can't tell you that it'll get easier. It probably won't. You have maybe a year or less or more to phase and do some imprinting of your own. Until then or until Brayden explains, it's going to eat at you if you let it. If it were me, I'd see it as he's still here, still your friend. He knows that you know something is up, and he hasn't told you. Right now, you're at a stalemate, so it would be best not to push him. Just be his friend. This is as hard on him as it is on you. I can promise you that."

And of course, she was right. Brayden had looked as in pain as I was. He didn't need the extra pressure. I'd just have to find an outlet for my frustration instead of interrogating him, but it was going to be hard.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "You're right."

She chuckled. "You should go tell your father that. Just to reiterate it."

I choked out a laugh. "I'll see what I can do."

Reaching out, she tucked my hair behind my ear. "Why don't you got get a bath? Soak. It might help you relax and sleep. I'll send your father and brothers up later."

I nodded again. "Sounds good." Smiling at her, I said. "Thanks, Mom. I really like the mother/daughter stuff even though this one wasn't that pleasant."

She smiled. "Me, too. We need to go shopping for your brother's birthday. What do you say we go to Port Angeles together after school tomorrow?"

I perked up. "Really?"

She nodded. "Just the two of us. Go shop for him, eat, maybe a late movie. A late night out on a school night is a rite of passage for every high school student. Besides, your dad can't bitch because you'll be with me instead of with some guy."

Grinning, I leaned forward and hugged her. Her hair smelled of sweet mint and thick honey. Dad told me that she'd always had that scent, no matter the soap or shampoo she used. "That sounds amazing! I can't wait!"

Her arms hugged me tight. "I love you, bug. So much. You might be your dad's baby girl, but you're my Jue-bug. The only women in this family for now so we have to stick together."

"Definitely, Momma Bear."

Pulling away, she stood up and pulled me to my feet. "Alright. Go get your bath. I'll go assure the menfolk that you're fine. Just a girl moment."

Grabbing my robe, I led the way out into the hall. "You know Dad and Will heard it all, though, right?"

She gave me a conspiratorial look. "True. But as wife and mother, I get to tell them not to be apes and say anything. Girl stuff should stay between the women."

Laughing, I kissed her cheek. "Love you, Momma."

She kissed my forehead. "Love you, too, Jue-bug." The nickname had stuck after Will had gotten old enough to call me Jues.

Then she left me to my own devices. I felt much better about my whole situation. This wasn't the end of the world, just the end of another chapter. I had to put my big girl panties on and act like I had some damn sense. It wasn't all about me. Her talk of maturing quickly was a subtle hint, whether or not she meant it that way, that I needed to quit being selfish.

The soak in the tub did calm my nerves. My body was all loose like a noodle and tingly from the herbal bubblebath. Coming out of the bathroom, I took my hair down out of the bun and braided it over my shoulder. In my room, I changed into my shorts and cami before climbing into bed. I sighed and purred with content as I sank down into the mattress and pillows.

There was a knock on the door a moment later.

"Come in."

My brothers filed in a second later, all looking at me as if they expected me to break down. Will met my gaze and I knew he'd heard the conversation. His own situation was written across his face.

I smiled. "I'm okay, guys. Mom's pretty good at the girl stuff."

Ash climbed up and around me to lay against the wall. Maddox laid at my feet, and Will flopped down on my other side on the edge of the bed.

Will wrapped his arm around me. "You sure you're okay?"

"I will be."

Ash rubbed my arm comfortingly. Maddox rubbed my feet.

"You scared us, Jules," Maddox said quietly. "You should have seen your face when you came in. We'd thought someone…" He couldn't even finish or look me in the eyes.

Ash was still stroking the backs of his fingers against my arm. I looked over at him. He wouldn't meet my eyes either.

"You thought…what? That someone assaulted me?"

I looked at all three of them. They all had their jaws clenched.

"Guys, please. I know how to take care of myself. You three and Dad took care of that. Plus every other male I know." I chuckled and reached back to pat Ash's cheek. "No guy will ever touch me like that. I promise." With my toe, I poked Dox in the chest playfully and then hissed. That was the toe I'd stubbed multiple times running back inside.

Maddox gripped my foot and looked at it. "What happened?"

"I hit it on everything on the ground when I ran back inside."

"Alright, I'll ask again," he said. "What happened?"

I looked up at Will. His expression told me that it was up to me. I knew he wouldn't say anything if I chose to keep it to myself. But I didn't want to keep things from them. "I had a talk with Brayden." Then, I went through the conversation and Brayden's actions, but told them not to say anything to Bray. He didn't need to think I was gossiping about him. "Promise me, okay? Please. You guys are who I vent to. I don't want to think that I can't trust you with that."

Ash went up on his elbow to frown down at me. "Really? You really think we'll say anything? It's your business, Jules."

"Yeah," Maddox said. "You listen to us and don't say anything. Where do you think we learned it from?"

I smiled down at him. "I love you guys."

There was another knock on the door before Dad poked his head in.

"Hey, Daddy."

He came in and smiled. "Good. I hate it when you cry."

I laughed. "I'm good. No more tears for now. Did you hear about my and Mom's plans for tomorrow?"

He scowled as he brought over my desk chair and sat down. "Yeah, I heard. I swear that woman is trying to give me anxiety. She said nobody else is to go, not even watch wolves."

Giggling, I said, "Yeah. Mother and daughter. Not Mom, daughter, and half the pack." Reaching over Will, I gripped Dad's hand. "Don't worry. We both know what to do if anything happens. We'll be fine. Time away from you and all the other guys will keep us sane. Too much testosterone."

All four of them choked a laugh.

"What? It would be like Uncle Embry needing a guys' night because of all the estrogen he's swimming in. Good grief. I mean, I like being a girl, don't get me wrong. But I'm glad I have brothers. I'd probably kill sisters."

Dad laughed. "Well, then, you're welcome."

"Aw, Dad," I complained. "Really?"

He shrugged. "What? You know how it goes. Your mom and I don't hide the romance. You should know what love –real love—is supposed to look like."

"Yeah, well," Will said, "as long as we don't walk in on the nitty gritty, I think we'll be alright."

We all full-body cringed while Dad laughed.

"Yeah," Maddox said. "Seeing my parents go at it like rabbits would be totally awkward and gross. I mean, I know how we got here, but that doesn't mean I need a replay."

Dad fired one of my numerous pillows at his head. "Just wait until you make your own kids." He pointed and scanned his finger to all of us. "And I better not catch you in my house. Walking in on my kids, especially my baby girl, will probably burn my retinas after I kill you." He looked to me. "Not you. The guy you're with."

"But Dad," Will said, "what if they're imprints?" I knew he was thinking about his attraction to Hunter.

"Then you better find another bed to lay in. Not in my house. The only sex I wanna smell, hear, and see is mine."

"Ah, Dad!" we all yelled simultaneously and covered our eyes against the mental image. Also trying to cover our ears. We all gagged and cringed with the shivers.

Chuckling, he stood up. "Try to get it up now, boys."

We cringed even more, the boys worse than me.

"Jacob Black!" Mom yelled from the doorway.

He looked back at her innocently. "What?"

She glared at him with her hands on her hips. "Really? That's what you teach our kids? To be immature sex hounds?"

"I was not teaching them that. I was preventing it by providing _way _too much information."

"Ugh," she said throwing her hands up. "Yeah, well, because of your awesome idea, they're going to need serious therapy."

"How about a brain scrub?" Ash moaned.

"With bleach," I said.

Dad grinned triumphantly. "See? No grandkids for us for about ten years or so." He pulled Mom into a deep kiss before walking away laughing.

Mom shook her head and rolled her eyes, but I could see that his kiss still affected her. She was wavering a little on her feet and catching her breath. "Well, then. Now that he's officially scarred you for life, is there anything you need before we climb into bed?"

"Mom," Ash said, "if you could not use that phrase for a while, that would be wonderful."

She actually blushed. "Sorry."

Will laughed. "I think we're good, Mom. If there's anything we need, we can get it."

"Alright." She came over and kissed each one of us. "Don't stay up too late. School in the morning. Good night, guys." She turned out the light on her way out. The stars on my ceiling bloomed to life.

"Night, Mom," we all called.

Will reached over to tap my touch lamp off. "You want us to stay in here or get out?"

"Eh, we're all already comfy. Just stay. Although, you might have to trade spots with Maddox or open my window. Your body heat is killing me."

Ash opened the window that was next to him and then pulled a blanket over himself. My room was a corner room and had three windows. The upstairs was shaped like a U. My room on one end, the twins' beside the bathroom, then Will's on the other end. As soon as you came up the stairs, my room was on the right. Will had the view of the lake. After the window was opened, cool air rushed, cooling my skin where it was pressed to Will. Maddox grabbed one of my many throw blankets to use.

"You know Mom calls you a comfort whore, right?" Maddox said.

Cuddling down with my brothers, I grinned. "Yup. And proud of it. I don't hear you complaining."

"Of course not. You'd kick in me in the throat."

We all laughed and yawned. It wasn't long before we were all falling asleep to the sound of the rain in the trees.

**BraydenPOV**

As soon as I'd come back into the house, I'd gone straight to my room. But now, I needed to talk to Piper. Mom and Dad had already gone to bed so I just walked across the hall and knocked on her door.

"Yeah?"

"Decent?"

"Am I ever? Get in here."

Opening the door, I went in and quietly closed it.

She raised her eyebrows from around her book. "Wow. I suppose it's my turn to tell you that you look like crap, big brother."

I sat on the edge of her bed and scrubbed my face with my hands. "Yeah, well it's good to know I look how I feel. And no, I don't want to talk about it. But listen, I gotta tell you something and you need to listen, alright?" In my room, I'd thought about Jules and Will. I was still mad at Will, but honestly, he really was my best friend and being without him wasn't all that great. Besides, after hearing Mom and Dad's story, I've learned to appreciate the people I have in my life. Losing any one of them would tear me apart.

After marking her page, she put the book aside and sat up against her headboard. Her long-ish hair was pulled back in a French braid. "What's up?"

I looked at her over my shoulder. "You're not going to like this, but Hunter is going to start being around a lot. Will is going through with keeping her nearby."

Her sharp green eyes narrowed. "So they're dating?"

I nodded. "Probably. It's a risk he's going to take."

"What if he imprints?"

"Then that's a complication we'll have to deal with when it comes."

"We?"

Sighing, I nodded. "We. Will needs us now more than ever, Piper. He's just phased and needs to make his mark as next alpha. If this Hunter thing has any validity to it, then he needs our support in his decisions to handle it. We're the new generation of the pack, and we've started phasing. I mean, in every book or movie we've ever read or seen, when this starts happening to us, something bad has to happen that has to be dealt with to prove worth. It's classic."

She picked at the frayed edge of her blanket. "So you really think something is going to happen?"

I rubbed my palms together, contemplating. "I can tell you that nothing feels right. Not since Will phased and that girl came into the picture." Turning, I reached out to her hand. "Piper, I know you like Will-,"

"It's not just that, okay? I'm getting over it. He didn't imprint on me so my last hope is squashed. But that doesn't mean that he's not still one of my best friends. It's not like I don't like her just because she's with him. I don't like her because my gut is telling me something is off about her, Bray, and I don't want to see Will hurt because of her. She hurts him, we'll be cleaning up the pieces, and I'll be introducing her face to dirt. As a guy, you can't hit a girl. But as a girl, I don't give a shit. I can beat the crap out of her like a freaking piñata. And enjoy it."

Chuckling, I said, "Look, I'm not asking you to be nice to her. You can still be your lovely bitchy self. I prefer it because if you're suddenly civil with her, she'll think something's up. But don't run her off. If Will is going to start dating her, he's going to bring her around a lot. And we can't abandon him."

She sighed, flapping her lips. "Fine. But are we sure he didn't imprint on her?"

I squeezed her hand. "Things are less sure with this generation. The hybrids, like me and Will, can hide things when we phase. And he's already better at it than I am. Uncle Caden taught me to scent a lie. I point blank asked Will if he'd imprinted, and he said no. I got nothing incriminating."

She let out a laugh. "You've been watching too much _Criminal Minds_, brother."

"Yeah, well, it's true. Not even a flinch or a twitch. If he imprinted, none of us are going to know it until he's ready for us to. But I can tell you that those who don't know about our suspicions of Hunter are going to think he did because he's phased and with her."

"Why don't we just explain?"

"Again, that's up to Will on who all knows about this. The more people who do know, the faster it could get back to Hunter. We don't want her to know that we think something is up with her. If she does, she'll clam up and move out. Will hasn't acquired his alpha voice yet to order the pack to silence, so until he tells us otherwise, we keep it quiet. I know Jules and the twins will as well. And Ava."

"What about Gage and Tate?"

"I'll have a talk with them. If the adults know, they'll pressure Uncle Jacob to take care of it. Uncle Jacob already knows, and he went to check out her place today. He met her and has suspicions of his own. But he knows the importance of Will taking care of it."

She frowned. "How do you know what he did?"

"He called me, telling me about her. He didn't give specifics, only that he has a weird feeling about her. Pretty sure he wants me to keep an eye on Will."

"If you two can make up, will you offer to be his second in command?"

"Pipes, he's still my best friend. We'll get through this tiff. But yes, of course, I'll offer. Hell, I'll take the position by force if I have to. I won't trust anyone else to have his back like that."

"What if the twins phase?"

I gave her a look. "Piper, if Jules, Maddox, and Ash phase, they'll all run the pack together with Will. The four of them will need a second in command. Granted, I'm not as close to Maddox and Ash, but if their older siblings trust me, they will, too."

She whistled low. "You've been planning this out, haven't you?"

"Since the moment I phased and realized what we were all in for, yeah."

She nodded and gripped my hand. "Alright, I'll go with it. Not that I like the bitch, but hey, sometimes life just sucks."

"That's my girl." Leaning over, I kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be at the school tomorrow but don't tell Will, alright? I wanna see how he interacts without knowing I'm there."

She kissed my cheek as I stood up. "I can do that. None of us really see each other anyway."

"Alright." I went to her door. "Don't stay up reading," I warned.

She mock saluted me. "Aye, aye, Cap'n."

Rolling my eyes, I closed the door.

I had to take my own advice and get some sleep. It had been a long, awful day.

What seemed like five minutes after I put my head on the pillow, there was a knock on my door. "Shower's yours, bro."

Groaning, I rolled over. "I didn't say I was going at the asscrack of dawn like you! I can actually sleep in."

She pounded her fists on my door like a drum. "Wwwwaaaaaaaakkkkkeeeee uuuuuuuuppppp!"

"I hate you," I growled loud enough for her to hear.

She cackled. "No you don't. But you wish you did." What sounded like a kick followed. "Get up or I'll come in and jump on you."

"You do and I'll sit on you and tickle you 'til you piss yourself. Then guess who's gonna be late?"

She kicked the door again. "Jerk."

"You bet," I chuckled and rolled back over. But thanks to my dear sister, I couldn't get back to sleep. Rolling out of bed, I went for the shower in my boxers. Piper knew better than to joke about taking my towel after I got out of the shower. Once I'd phased, I really didn't care. I'd walk back to my room naked without a care in the world. Pretty sure she'd grown out the joke after I "blinded her". I'd been tempted to do the same to her, but honestly, I didn't need the nightmare of my naked sister in my head. Just thinking about it gave me the heebs.

After I got my shower, I got dressed and met everyone downstairs.

"You're up early," Mom said.

I glared at Piper. "Your daughter has a sick sense of humor."

She threw a piece of bacon at me. I caught it with my awesome reflexes and ate it as I sat down on Dad's right. He was going over some papers from the shop. Mom tried to put a plate of waffles in front of me that I knew were meant for her because she hadn't known that I would be up, and Dad and Piper had already been served.

I handed them back. "No, Mom. You eat. I can make my own."

"You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Sit down and eat." Standing back up, I made her sit down and then took the spatula from her.

"Eat," I ordered, pointing the spatula at her.

She held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright."

Dad chuckled as I moved for the counter. "So, Piper says you're forgiving Will and going to the school."

I turned to look at her. She gave me that "no, I didn't tell them everything, stupid" look. "Yeah. It's weird staying mad at him. Plus, we've got to start treating him like the alpha now, right? He's bound to piss me off even more later down the road. Might as well get used to it."

"True," Dad said, raising his cup before taking a drink. "I can't tell you the number of times I wanted to kick Jacob's ass. Of course, your mother was more than happy to break his nose."

I turned to stare at her. Piper's mouth was hanging open. "You broke Uncle Jacob's nose?" she demanded.

Mom grinned. "He was being an idiot." She shrugged. "But I have to admit I went overboard back then." Frowning, she looked at Dad. "Was I pregnant then? Or not yet?"

He shook his head. "I can't remember. But probably before. You were nicer when you were pregnant. Especially with Piper."

"Why me?" Piper asked as I went back to making my breakfast.

"Well, your mom was terrified to have kids because of her mother. You know her story. So your mother was deathly afraid when she found out she was pregnant with Brayden. It was a shock. I mean, she was newly infected and hadn't shifted yet. But after he was born, things got better."

"And then," Mom chimed in, "your father said he wanted to try for a girl. That was even more terrifying for me. What was I going to do with a girl? I'd always felt more comfortable with the guys, except your Aunt Nessie. How was I ever going to handle the emotional female teenager when I could barely sort through my own fear that I would end up like my own mother? So throughout my pregnancy with you, I tried to be…softer. More feminine. Ergo, I was nicer."

"And you haven't left us," Piper pointed out.

Mom scoffed. "Are you kidding? You two turned out awesome. My mother was an idiot for leaving me because she didn't get to meet the two of you and watch you grow up."

"Well, she did see Brayden. Once," Dad said.

"Yeah. Once. Never held him or anything."

"'Cause you wouldn't let her."

"Damn straight. She wasn't just going to pop in out of the blue with her expensive car, clothes, and jewelry from her new husband and call herself grandmother. I still don't even understand that." She was starting to get irritated, stabbing her waffle over and over.

Dad shuffled his papers. "On to a better subject. Jacob told me about Hunter."

I looked over at him.

He held his hands up and shook his head. "I'm not interfering. In fact, I think it's a good idea that Will came up with to keep her close. Jake told me that you went to him. So how's he planning on keeping her around?"

Piper and I gave each other wide eyes while he looked down at his paper.

"Uh," I said, "I'm not sure."

He looked up to give us each that look that all dads have when he knows his kids are lying to him as I sat down beside Piper. "Really? Lying to me? Have you forgotten who dear old dad is?"

I glanced at Piper and pulled something out of nowhere. "We just kind of want to keep this one close to the chest. Besides, you'll more than likely find out soon anyway. I just don't wanna have to be the one to tell you."

He frowned, eyes moving back and forth between us. Then he shook his head. "Alright. Fine. I'll trust you. Just know I'm here if you need me. Same goes with Jake."

"Thanks, Dad."

There was a knock on the door before Jules came in. Instead of avoiding my gaze like I thought she would, she smiled brightly at all of us. "Hey, guys! Smells good in here." She went around to hug my mom and dad. "So, I'm still convinced we should all get together and have an epic game night," she said as she hung over Piper's shoulders.

Piper kissed her cheek. "If it's a drawing game, I'm on your team."

"Amen," I mumbled.

Jules smiled at me. "You'd probably have to fight my brothers."

"Please," Piper said, rolling her eyes.

Jules chuckled. "Whatever. Come on, Pipes. We'll be late if we don't leave now."

Sighing, Piper got up and grabbed her stuff before putting her plate in the sink. Then she went to the door with her arm wrapped through Jules's. "Bray, you comin'?"

"Uh, I'll be down a little later."

"Don't be stupid," Jules said. Her aqua eyes said she was trying, that she really wanted me to come but not that I had to. "Walk down with us. Please? The boys already took off."

"Yeah," Piper chimed in. "If I leave you here, you'll just go back to sleep."

"Says the girl who woke me up," I grumbled, getting up. "Alright, alright."

We said bye to Mom and Dad before I followed the girls out the door. As we moved through the woods, Jules pulled something out of her bag and handed it to me. It was my shirt.

I took it from her. "Thanks."

Her smile was small. "No problem. Thanks for letting me borrow it."

"Sure," I said and slipped it on over my t-shirt. God, it smelled like a mix of her and me. The musk of wolf with the citrus of her. Some of her scent matched Aunt Nessie. The thick honey scent. But the orange citrus was all her. It made my body react as we walked toward the rez. Geez, that was the last thing I needed going into a high school that had her brothers roaming the halls.

"Bray, you okay?" Jules asked.

"What? Yeah. I'm good. Just thinking about Will."

Jules reached out and patted my shoulder. I had to breathe through my body's reaction. It was getting stronger the longer I was around her. "It's okay, Bray. He's ready to have his friend back. And I know that he'll be happy to see you, to have you at his side. I promise you that he realizes his mistakes."

"You talked to him, didn't you?" I knew she had from the conversation from last night.

"Of course I did. Probably a smack upside the head, too. Just for good measure."

I laughed. "Good." Even though I knew she was kidding about hitting him.

Piper looked over at us. "So are we really ready for Will to start 'dating' this chick?"

I shrugged, my arm brushing Jules's. She moved away sheepishly. "Doesn't matter if we are. It's already started. We just need to roll with it."

"You know the school doesn't like her, right?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"They're always gossiping about her," Piper said. "I hear them. The white, blonde girl walking on the rez."

"What about Gage?"

"His mom is Quileute. Hunter was only adopted. She doesn't have a drop of tribe blood in her. That causes problems. You and I, plus Jules and the others? We have Dad and they have Uncle Jacob. Plus, they wouldn't mess with us anyway because our dads are pack leader and second in command. Maybe if her adoptive parents had been pack members or at least one of them, she'd have a better standing. As it is…" she shrugged.

"Good point. Looks like I'll have to play bully control. If Will and I are back to being best friends, I'm going to have to be civil with her, too. She's gotta like me or Will is gonna tell me to back off."

"Well, then," Jules said, "just be your typical charming self and she won't have a reason not to like you."

I looked at her. She met my gaze. Why the hell wasn't I telling her? She wanted to be with me, clearly. Even from my house, I'd been able to hear her crying. It had killed a piece of me to know that her tears were my fault. I just didn't want to change things. What if we did get together? What if we did activate my imprint? How would that affect Piper or Will? Or hell, our parents? I was eighteen and Jules seventeen. And she was still in school, basically had two more years ahead of her. If we were to get together, our relationship could interfere, especially since I knew she wanted to start online college courses. I didn't want to be her distraction from what she wanted for her personal goals. New relationships always had that effect. But if I waited years to tell her, she'd kill me. Then again, what about Piper? Again, new relationships tended to have people too involved with their significant others. _Piper_ would kill me if I took her best friend away. Of course, it may not be years, not if Jules phases soon. If that happens and she imprints on me, she'll know what happened. And then she'd be able to actually rip me a new one for keeping it from her.

I'd barely been up a couple hours and already I needed a nap. Maybe to hibernate 'til Christmas.

It wasn't long before we made it to the school. My skin was tight and itchy from being so close to Jules, so I quickly departed. "I'm gonna go find Will. You guys have a good day."

"You, too," Jules said. "He'll probably be at Hunter's locker since his first class is down that hallway."

Piper frowned but only shook her head. "See you later."

Nodding, I took off into the crowd. The other kids got out of my way. Being a member of the pack, I'd shot up to about six foot three, so I had a clear view over their heads. It also helped that my build was broad and intimidating. A lot of the girls batted their eyes at me, but I ignored them. Before I'd phased, I'd been okay with it, but now, I really wished I had Jules on my arm to tell them to fuck off. I smiled at the image. I said hey to some of the guys but didn't stop to talk. Henry was waiting around the corner, arms crossed over his chest. He looked surprised to see me.

"What's up, man?" he asked, holding out his fist.

I bumped it with mine. "Came here to swing ya."

"You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Time to get the stick out of my ass, I guess. Especially with a future alpha."

"True that." He stood up from the wall. "He's chatting up the new girl."

I leaned around the corner to see that he was right.

"If you're sure, I got a mate at home."

I chuckled. "Go for it. Tell Leila we said hi."

"I will." We shook hands before he left.

I leaned a shoulder on the wall and watched Will talk to Hunter. He had her blushing and laughing before he excused himself to go to the bathroom. I moved around so that he didn't see me, not yet. As soon he was gone, a group of guys moved in with girls laughing around them. One of the guys, a known horn dog, moved in on Hunter. The kid was a trouble-maker who thought every girl should fall on her knees at his feet and feel him up with her mouth. I knew he'd had the police pick him up a couple times. Maybe Uncle Jake needed to have a word with him if Will didn't put the fear of the gods in him.

He picked up a lock of her hair. "You know, you don't belong here."

"Go away," she said nonchalantly as if he didn't matter to her. She didn't even look up at him as she dug through her bag. Good girl.

"Pretty white girl like you don't need to be here."

I wanted to punch him just for his incorrect grammar.

Now she glared up at him. I couldn't see her face because I was behind her, staying around the corner."I said back off, man. Really? I haven't done a damn thing to you."

His grin was all sex. "No you haven't, but we can change that."

Insulted and angry, she spun to smack him, but he grabbed her wrist in a lucky swipe.

"Tough. I like that." With his body, he started to back her up against the locker.

I was about to step out when I heard, "Let her go. Now." It was Will's voice, low and dangerous. Uh-oh.

The crowd around them parted. Will had taken off his backpack and was standing there, flexing his hands into fists. Aw, crap. Please, don't let this get out of hand.

The guy smiled and turned to face Will. Some of the other guys moved in on Hunter while their leader faced mine. Going up to them, I gripped Hunter's arm and moved her away from them behind me. "Hey," she said before she realized I was protecting her.

The guys, seniors like Will, stared up at me.

I grinned darkly. "Not today, boys." While they were busy looking uneasy, I pulled her around to stand behind Will. He had the guy's shirt collar in his fists and the guys' feet off the floor.

Will brought them face to face, his expression a snarl. "Don't ever touch her again."

"Whatever you say, teacher's pet," the guys whispered in a way that said he wasn't scared of Will.

Oh, shit. The hall had gone silent, but no phones. They knew better after Will almost phasing in the cafeteria. Didn't want to piss him off.

Will slammed his back into the lockers. "Call me what you like, but you listen to me. She, like you, like all of you, is under the protection of the pack. But that doesn't mean we won't take care of business if you keep harassing people. Enough is enough. Leave her alone."

"If that was unclear," I said in my best menacing voice, "you mess with her or anyone under our protection, you mess with us. All of us."

The guy looked over at me and Hunter, clearly starting to feel the aggression of two members of the pack. "She your girl?" he asked Will warily.

"Yes, she is."

I felt Hunter's pleased surprise behind me and heard her gasp.

"But that's not the point. If your dumb ass wants to harass or hurt anyone else on this reservation or Forks, I will come after you. Don't think I haven't heard about you or watched you play your games. I don't have the time or patience to deal with your petty crap, so if I do come after you, you better pray you can run fast enough, because I'll be leading the hunting party."

Now the kid looked ready to piss himself. He and Will just stared at each other for a long time until the warning bell for first period rang.

"Do we understand each other?" Will demanded.

The kid, I think his name was Chad, nodded fervently. "Yeah, we're good. We're cool, man."

Will let him go and shoved him away. "We better be. Now get to class."

After the kid scurried off, Will picked up his backpack and turned to me. "Hey," he said losing the tough guy edge and suddenly unsure.

"Hey." I held out my hand.

He took it and pulled me in for a hug and back slap. "I'm sorry, Bray."

"No apologies. It happened; it's over. Time to move on so you can piss me off again."

He smiled as a small hand touched my shoulder. Hunter moved around to face me. "Thank you."

Will moved up beside her. "You okay?"

She smiled up at him. "Yeah, I'm fine." She nudged him with her shoulder. "Your girl, huh?"

While he looked down at her, I watched him. If I wasn't going blind, I'd say he looked at her the way I watched Jules when nobody was looking. Like an imprinted male. He gently cupped her face. "We can talk about it later. You're gonna be late."

She nodded, but looked shaky. His touch affected her unless she was an Oscar-worthy actress. "Okay. Lunch?"

"It's a date."

Giving me one last look, she started down the hall. But she didn't get five steps before pivoting and running back to Will's arms. Gripping his face and pulling him down, she kissed him hard before pulling back and running down the hall. In a daze, Will just stared after her, licking his lips.

Chuckling, I clapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, Romeo. Your mom will kill me if you miss class for a girl. Get in there." And I shoved him toward his class wondering just what the hell was going on.

**WillPOV**

"So Jules talked to you last night, didn't she?" I asked as we moved down the hall toward the cafeteria. I knew she had but I didn't want him to know that she'd told us everything. I wasn't a snitch.

"Maybe. But in all honesty, I was going to show back up eventually. Can't let everyone think I'm a pussy getting my feelings hurt so easy by the guy who's like my brother. Besides, you're the future alpha. No doubt there will be other times you'll piss me off and I'll have to deal with it," Brayden said as we moved through the crowd. "We have a lot of years to have to deal with each other. Might as well get used to it."

"Still, I'm sorry. It was disrespectful when all you were trying to do was help me."

"Apology accepted."

We finally made it to the back of the cafeteria. It was raining today so we had to sit inside. Hunter was already seated at one of the tables in the back corner.

Bray leaned over. "You know you made her a topic of conversation after this morning, right?"

He was right. All over the girls were leaning in, whispering to each other and sending glares over to the corner. Probably why Hunter had her back to the room. As I walked over to her, the girls all tried to grab my attention but I ignored every single one of them. There was only one girl who could make my blood boil, and no matter if there was something up with her, I'd figure it out and we'd work it out. I wasn't going to lose her without a fight.

When I got to her, I put my hand on her shoulder and sat down next to her. "Any more problems?"

She shook her head, blonde hair sliding over her shoulders. "Nope. In fact, everybody's been super nice to me. It's nice to be your girlfriend." She grinned.

I raised my eyebrows. "Girlfriend?"

Her smile faltered. "Well, I mean, after the other day, I thought, maybe…and earlier."

"No, it's okay. I just didn't think you'd go for it."

She frowned, pulling out a PB&J. "Why not? I like you. I thought you liked me."

"I do," I said quickly. "It's just we haven't known each other all that long. But I did enjoy the other day on the cliff."

Behind me, Brayden cleared his throat. I'd forgotten he was there. "I'm gonna go stand by the door just in case." Then he started to move off.

Hunter stood up. "Wait." When he turned back, she held out her hand. "I don't think we've been introduced. I'm Hunter."

He took her hand. "Brayden."

"Thank you, Brayden. For earlier."

He nodded once. "Of course. Will is my best friend, and he likes you. And you were raised by three of our people. They trusted you enough to leave you their property here. You belong here as much as they do." And then he moved off to grab something out of the vending machines before taking up post at the door that led outside.

Hunter sat back down. "He seems nice."

"He is. Intense sometimes, but nice." While I pulled out my own lunch, I got a text, my pocket vibrating. Making sure there weren't any teachers around, I pulled it out. It was from Aunt Tricia. **Parker wants her date with you. She's driving me nuts, kid.**I laughed as Hunter leaned over to read it.

"Other girlfriend?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"No," I said with a chuckle. "Remember my cousin I told you about who wants to cliff dive?" She nodded. "I promised her a date the last time I saw her to hang out with her. She missed me. She's kind of like a little sister. This is her mom texting me."

She didn't answer. Instead, she snatched my phone from my hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Giving you my number." Then she looked up at me. "Is that okay?"

I smiled and pushed her hair back. "It's fine, sweetie. I was going to ask for it anyway."

Grinning, she went back to putting it in there. Then she used my phone to call hers so that she'd have mine. "There. Oh, and I thought about your party. I'll go with you."

There was just something about touching her, moving her hair from her face and touching her cheek, brushing her jaw. "Really now?"

She nodded, moving her skin against my fingers. "Yeah. Your dad said it would be alright. He said you wouldn't have asked if you didn't really want me there."

I frowned. "Wait, you met my dad? Something wrong with your car?"

"What? No. He, uh, he came to my house to introduce himself. He's really nice."

"Ah. Did he say anything?"

"About?" she asked taking a bite of sandwich.

I shrugged. "I don't know."

Swallowing her bite, she laughed and brushed some hair out of my eyes. "Don't worry. We didn't gossip about you. He just told me how protective Jules and Piper are over you. And that I can call the pack anytime I need them."

I gripped her hand in mine. "Us, Hunter. You can call us. I'm part of the pack now, too."

She smiled. "Then I guess I'll just have to put you on speed dial. But yes, I'll go with you this weekend."

"All weekend? We stay on the cliffs Friday and Saturday nights."

She frowned. "Like…camping?"

"If we're not partying, we're sleeping. So yes. Tents, bonfires, and burgers. Oh, and chocolate cake. My mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-aunts all make this huge chocolate cake. I hate vanilla anything."

Laughing, she leaned into me. "Well, I will have to remember that. Chocolate. Milk or dark?"

"Both." I offered her my bottle of water and she took it, grinning as she drank from it.

"Got it. So am I going to meet all these relatives?"

Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I leaned back in my seat and stretched out my legs. "So now you want to meet my family?"

Groping for something to say, she motioned with her hands. "'Want' is a strong word. But 'willing' will work. I mean, I've already met your dad. He's super nice. So why not?"

"Well, before you show up and discover my family very strange, I should warn you."

She quirked an eyebrow. "About?"

"Okay, so you said that your parents and uncle taught you about our legends, right?" She nodded. "Did they mention 'the cold ones'?"

"Uh, yeah." Looking around, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Vampires, right?"

I nodded. "I just want you to know that…now, you can't tell anyone. Alright? It's serious."

"I swear it," she said solemnly.

I took a deep breath and jumped off the cliff. "Half my family are…you know."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

I nodded. "My mother is half. Her mom, my grandmother, was turned after my mother was born. All the great-aunts and –uncles, plus my great-grandparents."

Sitting back in her chair, she seemed stunned. "Holy crap. This world is crazy."

I laughed and looked at her nervously. "So are you still okay? They don't take human blood. The hunt animals, so basically, they're vegetarians.

She gave me an amused, surprised look. "Okay? Of course I am. They make you who you are. Besides," she reached out to lace her fingers with mine, "I really like spending time with you. So, I'm sure I'll like them, too. I mean, it's only been a few days, but it's been a really nice few days. I thought I'd come here and be socially handicapped. But you treat me like a human being."

I frowned as she played with my fingers. "Of course I do. Have people been rude to you?"

Chuckling, she moved so that her leg was twined with one of mine. "You can't beat up everybody, Will. Snotty girls are snotty girls. But I can take 'em." Her green eyes lifted to meet mine. "And what you did for me this morning…Will, I was never expecting anything like that from anyone."

Reaching up with my hand that was on the back of her chair, I stroked my thumb over her jaw. "Hunter, nobody deserves to be treated like that. No female should be looked at as a piece of meat that's meant to please. You're a person who deserves respect, love, and a sense of safety in their environment. Three things that I'm not entirely convinced you've had a lot of throughout your life."

Emotions played over her expression and through her eyes. She put a hand on my chest and leaned in. "You're awfully smart, William Black, for a guy who has everything," she whispered.

I knew I shouldn't be actually courting her, but she was my imprint. No matter what was going on, she needed to know that someone in this world would care for her, would stick up for her.

So that's why I looked her straight in the eyes and whispered, "Not everything."

Gasping in a small breath, she stared at me for just a second before crushing her lips to mine.

I could feel eyes and glares on us. But not one fuck did I give as my body lit up like the Fourth of July.

**Later That Day…**

**WillPOV**

After I walked Hunter to her car and watched her drive off, Brayden gripped my arm and whipped me around. "Is there something you want to explain to me?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, pulling my arm out of his grip.

"Look, we're good about you running off with her, alright. I get it. You want a good cover and make it seem real. But what was that in the cafeteria? That was more than acting, Will. That was real emotion from you." He didn't look or sound angry, just curious.

Hefting my backpack up, I shrugged. "I'm just playing the part."

He looked me dead in the eye and said, "Yeah, but who are you playing? That's a lot of emotion to be sporting after only three days of knowing her. If you'd imprinted, would you tell me?"

Now, I did get angry because I was almost positive that he'd imprinted and hadn't told me. "I don't know, Bray. Would you tell me if you had?"

He opened his mouth to answer before closing it.

I started walking toward Aunt Tricia's house and sighed. "I didn't think so. Even though I'm pretty sure you did…on my sister."

I could feel him freeze behind me so I turned around. He was just staring at me, clearly confused. "You…you know?"

Looking around, I made sure we were alone in a sea of human students. It would be harder for any other wolves to hear us. "As an imprinted male, it's easy to see it in another," I said in a lowered voice.

Eyes wide, he looked around as he walked up to me. "So you did…"

I nodded. "I wasn't going to tell you. But you're my best friend. The only other person who knows is Jules. You don't tell, I won't tell, alright? Imprinting is personal so I'll respect that. But I need the same thing from you."

He nodded. "Of course."

We started walking again. "I told Jules I'd try to be objective with Hunter last night, but I can't, Bray. The pull is too strong. If there's something going on with her, I'll need your help. She told me she talked to my dad. Did he tell you about that?"

"Ah, yeah."

"And?" I asked when it didn't seem like he was going to finish.

"And he said that he does think something is up. I didn't get specifics. He just said that she as a person seemed okay. But her place was off."

Dammit. I didn't want to hear that. My dad's guts were smart and had never been wrong as far as I knew. But even though she was my imprint, I would force myself to stay objective about any information we managed to get on her. She still hadn't done or said anything that made my internal warning system to go off.

"Will?"

"Uh, alright. I'll talk to my dad tonight. Hunter said she'd go the bonfire this weekend."

"Good. The more she's with you, the less she's out doing whatever it is she could be up to. I know we still don't know for sure but it's good to be cautious."

I nodded as we turned down the drive. "Yeah. So…why haven't you told Jules?"

He shot me a sharp look. "Listen, it's weird that you know about it. Can I get some time to adjust to that before I say anything?"

I shrugged. "Sure. But hey, I don't mind. Honestly, if she were to end up with anyone, I'd be ecstatic for it to be you. That way I know she's in good hands. And if you're waiting for her to phase and imprint on you before you tell her, don't."

His expression was tortured. As we walked, I just kept picturing my sister's face as she'd stood inside the door, shivering in his shirt, looking half dead.

That was not a look I ever wanted to see on her face again.

But as we neared Aunt Tricia's house, I forced all this crap to the back of my mind. I always loved hanging out with Parker. She was so small and innocent that she reminded me that life wasn't supposed to always be serious. Sometimes, you just had to let the kid out to play. And she had a way of bringing the kid out of everybody. While some people liked to drown their sorrows in alcohol, I liked to drown mine in blowing bubbles in chocolate milk with a kid who always made me smile.

She was waiting for us on the porch, grinning, her blonde hair held from her face with a black ribbon. "Good. You brought Brayden!" she yelled, running and jumping off the porch to fling herself into Brayden's arms. Laughing, he caught her up. "Mario Kart, chocolate milk, and s'mores. Brayden makes _the best _s'mores."

He and I shared a grin.

"Let the games begin," I said as I left my problems out in the front yard.

* * *

**I know, I know! You want to see Will, Brayden, and Parker. And you want to see Mom/Daughter night. Next chapter, people. I've got this. I'm now starting to figure out what you guys like. That's why you should review. Let me know the thoughts and feels! But remember to keep your guesses vague. Want to go into detail about them? PM me. Love y'all! xoxoxoxoxoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. Well then. Some of you were asking for action. Well, we get some. And some new info on Hunter. Now, I didn't go through and proofread for typos so please forgive me for them.**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**RPOV**

Oh, it was so good to be away from Forks for a little while to spend a night with my daughter. We didn't have near enough time together alone. As we walked out of the movie theater toward the car, I looked over at her. She glowing and smiling slightly.

I nudged her. "You seem better tonight."

Looking over at me, her smile grew. "Well, I thought about what you said last night. You were right; I should be happy that Brayden is still in my life. I mean, he seemed to be in as much pain as I was. And if he can plaster on smiles to keep people from worrying then I can, too. It's his business until he wants to talk about it, which is fine. I've got to take care of Will anyway."

Wrapping my arm through hers, I said, "Yeah, Dad's been telling me about Hunter. Do you really suspect her of foul play?"

Thinking about it, she nibbled her lip. "It's not that I think she's _done _anything. It's just this feeling I have that something is _going_ to happen. Like, maybe she's planning something. And I have to admit that I kind of find it strange that she's latched onto Will so hard and fast. Only three days and she's really laying on the charm."

"You think he likes her?"

I saw the look that said she was about to fudge the answer. "I don't know. He said that _he _was going to lay on the charm. She wouldn't hang around as much if they were just friends. More than friends means new relationship. New relationship means a gross over-attendance of her in our lives."

That made me laugh. "I know what you mean. But your brother is now tied to the well-being of the pack more than ever. Sacrifices have to be made to see to that safety."

"Oh, I know. I just hate the waiting for something to happen. Let it happen and be done."

I chuckled. "You sound just like me. I hated it, too. You know that Grampa can have a go at her."

She shook her head. "No. Will wants to take care of it. And I don't blame him."

"Well, if he gets stuck, tell him Grampa would be happy to help."

"Of course I will. I just think that this should be dealt with as if magic weren't a go-to tool, you know? Good old let it happen and deal with it. It's good training."

I couldn't argue with that. Experiences helped the brain learn and knowledge grow. Pulling my arm out of hers, I wrapped it around her shoulders. "So you think he'll like his presents from us?"

She wrapped her arm around my waist and leaned on my shoulder. "Yeah, I do. He's been talking about wanting one to match Dad's so he doesn't have to keep using his. And I know he's been talking about reading more, but he's into history, books that Ash and I just don't have. Most of the time books are cheaper electronically."

I'd talked to Jacob about his tools for his cars. Will wanted to own the shop someday, so I thought it might be nice for him to have his own set of tools. A couple of the store workers had gotten the tools and the giant rolling container into the SUV for us. Jules had picked out an e-reader for him. Because of my mom we had a special account at one of the bookstores here in Port Angeles. Will could get the books he wanted because Mom and I had a card specifically to that account. It was an unlimited fund that Mom and Dad had set up for the kids so that they could have access to any and all books they wanted. Sometimes it was good to have family money.

On the sidewalk, a group of rowdy middle-aged men were about to walk past us. I braced myself, keeping my arm tight around Jules. We weren't even five feet from the car.

Sure enough…"Hey, gorgeous. Wanna ride?" His words were slurred as if he'd been drinking. He smelled like it, too. And his saving grace was that he was talking to me and not Jules.

But Jules fired up anyway. "That's my mother, you ignorant drunk. Go blow smoke up some other woman's skirt," she snapped viciously.

The man stopped and blinked, looking from her to me and back again. A look of confusion descended on him and the other guys. That was the usual reaction when we were out together. Usually we just went with the sister thing, but Jules had a tendency to snap when someone hit on one of us instead of just asking if we were related.

Jules gripped my hand and pulled me to the car. "Jerk," she said, pushing past him.

I quickly unlocked the car and we hopped in. Once the doors were locked, we looked at each other and busted out laughing. Her aqua eyes sparkled as she enjoyed her small victory.

Patting her leg, I said, "Oh you are just like your brothers."

She grinned at me. "I shall take that as a compliment."

"As well you should. Although Will probably would have just growled at him."

She laughed out again. "Oh I would have paid to see that. The guy would have wet himself."

"Probably."

As I put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb, my phone started to ring. Jacob.

**WillPOV**

"Seriously?" I said as Parker won yet another race. "When did you get better than me?" Putting the controller down, I flung myself back onto the floor.

Parker crawled onto my chest and sat down, crossing her legs. Before I'd phased she'd have been crushing my lungs. Now, she felt like a feather. She grinned down at me. "Will, I've _been _better than you since I was, like, eight. I was just going easy on you."

Bray hissed. "Ooo, burn, baby."

I chuckled. "Really now? Is that what it was?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, then…" Grabbing her, I rolled over and pinned her down, tickling her. "I didn't want to do this, but you've given me no choice."

She laughed, screamed, and giggled. Uncle Embry and Aunt Tricia poked their heads in from the kitchen. They shook their heads laughing.

"Brayden!" she screamed through her giggles.

He looked down at me, chuckling. "Why am I always saving the girls from you?"

"You didn't save Jules," I reminded him as Parker kicked me in the lower stomach. I supposed paying attention would benefit my health. Just a couple inches lower and I'd be singing soprano for a while.

Brayden made a pained face while I readjusted. I'd forgotten she was a kicker. "I'm gonna go get the stuff for s'mores."

"Yay!" Parker managed even though she was laughing and trying to fight me off.

"Parker, don't kill him while I'm gone."

"I'll…do…my best," she gasped out. She managed to get her foot up high enough to push against my cheek. "Will! I gots ta peeeeee!"

"Should have thought of that before you told me I suck."

"But you do!" she howled.

Grinning, I finally let her up. She popped up and booked it for the bathroom.

Once she came back and Brayden sat down with a tray of ingredients, we popped in a movie while he made s'mores in the fireplace. Parker hummed and chewed happily sitting between us on the floor, our backs against the couch. Her little feet moved back and forth while she danced between us. Chocolate and marshmallow coated her fingers and the area around her mouth.

After the movie, Brayden and I said our goodbyes. Aunt Tricia thanked us for wearing her daughter out and effectively ruining her dinner. Well, it was our pleasure. That kid was something else.

Outside was dark, cold, and damp. The clouds had moved out. Out here in the woods where there weren't streetlights, the stars were easier to see. But the walk down the drive and onto the backstreets was a little creepy.

Brayden elbowed me. "So you're really okay with me imprinting on Jules?"

I laughed. "Yes, man. I just don't understand why you won't tell her. She'd be thrilled. And all the girls at school would hate her. You know she'd cackle with glee about that." Seriously, seeing them together would ease a tension I really hadn't know I'd ever had. I always worried over Jules and the guy she'd end up with. And the fact that Bray had imprinted on her had me breathing easier. Whether or not she phased and where or not she ended up with him, she always had a watch wolf. No matter what, he wouldn't be far away from her. She was his life now, so I could worry about my own knowing that she was safe.

He chuckled. "Yeah. How'd you guess?"

"Honestly? I'd guessed you'd imprinted before I phased, but I didn't know on who. Around us, you'd joke about Jules. And then I phased and imprinted on Hunter. Then, I knew. The first time I saw you look at Jules after I did those two things told me everything I needed to know. Don't worry. You still have your sister and the twins fooled. And everybody else. But not me. I know you too well, probably even better than Piper does. At least until she phases. And you'd guessed about Hunter by the way I was acting. Didn't you?"

He shrugged. "It just seemed weird. It's not like you to be so…into a girl. Not like that. Not so consumed. And then you ditched me for her." He chuckled and slapped my shoulder. "I gotta tell you, man, that stung. A lot. But I guess I really have to forgive you now because I would have done the same thing to get a moment alone with Jules."

Looking over at him, I said, "Dude, all you have to do is crook your finger at her. No need to ditch anybody. She'll tell anyone else to go away herself."

He chuckled. The tension he'd been carrying over the past few days seemed to have lessened. He smiled easier and that constant spark in his green eyes had come back. "That's true. Are you sure you're okay? I figured you'd be all 'you're my best friend but she's my sister'."

I threw a smirk at him. "Well yeah. It's a given. But I know you won't hurt her. You can't. But, dude, seriously, don't wait until she phases to tell her. You'll be in a lot less trouble that way."

Ignoring the last, he asked, "You really think she's going to phase?"

Clenching my jaw, I said, "Yes. There's no other option."

"Will-,"

"No! She'll phase as will Maddox and Ash. I won't lose them or you to mortality."

"Will," he said quietly, "you imprinted on a human. If you age with her, _we'll _lose _you _to mortality. Let's face it, every imprinted wolf stops phasing to age with their human mate."

Swallowing hard, I knew this was something that had to be thought about. He was right. Hunter was human. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that no matter what happened, if at the end of it all I was given a choice, I'd stop phasing to age with her. Taking a deep breath, I said, "Bray, whatever is about to happen to our lives, and make no mistake, something is going to happen, it's just starting." I couldn't believe what I was about to say next, but I said it anyway. "And accidents happen when things go wrong."

I felt his eyes on the back of my head. "You're saying she could get infected."

"It's possible if she stays around me. I'm not saying I'd purposely infect her, not without her consent. But if she stays in our world…" I just shook my head. "Anything's possible."

"Will-," he stopped saying whatever he was going to say.

Frowning, I looked over at him.

He frowned, stopped, and gripped my arm, pulling me to a stop. Lifting his face to the drizzle, he inhaled so deeply that his chest and shoulders lifted.

I did the same, lifting my nose to the wind.

Then we looked at each other and said, "Blood," at the same time.

I was still a little off with figuring out my senses, so Brayden pulled me in the direction that the scent was coming from. It was off the road in the woods south of the rez. There was a lot of woods between the main part of town and the next town south. The further in we went, the darker it got. And the scent grew so bad that my sinuses were singing as well as my stomach. I'd never really craved human blood, and I knew that's what I was smelling right now.

"You okay?" Brayden asked as if he just remembered my vampire genes.

"Yeah," I said.

"Good. I think it's time to run."

Slipping out of my backpack, I grabbed my extra pair of sweats out of my bag and wrapped them around my ankle which would stay roughly the same size it was now. Not really attached to the clothes I was wearing, I slipped out of my shoes before phasing. The one thing I'd managed to get ahold of was phasing at will without the need of a trigger. Brayden was beside me a moment later, his light brown fur ruffled at the neck.

_Brayden? Will?_

_Dad, _Brayden said.

_What are you two doing? You should be on your way home._

_We know that, Uncle Seth, but we caught the scent of a lot of human blood in the woods south of the rez. _

There was a hesitation. He was deciding whether to tell us to check it out or wait for the wolves closest to us on patrol to get here.

_Let them go. _

I recognized my own dad's voice.

_The sooner we get eyes on the situation, the sooner we know what's going on and can contain it. Go on._

Without another thought, we took off through the woods, dodging fallen trees and thick foliage. Some of the roots were huge and popping out of the ground like the bones of a skeleton buried too close to the surface. The scent got stronger and stronger, pulling me along down its trail. My head was pounding as if the scent were something physical that had wormed its way through my senses to beat my brain. I could hear others in the pack racing toward us, including my dad.

Eventually, we skidded into a large meadow, growling and snarling. When nothing jumped out at us, we hunkered down in the grass, eyes searching. Water was dripping from the trees to steadily land on my head. We had to be right on top of whatever that scent was coming from. My eyes were watering, body sore and straining.

_Easy, Will, _Dad said. _We're on our way._

_I've never craved human blood before._

_Yeah, well, you've never really had the scent so prominent in your nose before. Leave if you have to. Bray-_

_I got him._

He moved closer to me so that his shoulder brushed mine. I was taller than him in this form, too, but not by much. The dripping on my head was starting to get irritating. It was steady and heavy right above my eyes.

_What dripping?_ Bray asked.

_Wait for it…that dripping, _I said when another drop landed on me.

Brayden pushed his nose in my face, snuffling.

I pulled back, raising my hackles. _Dude, what are you doing?_

_Just stop for a second._

I did grudgingly and let him sniff me. Another drip came, landing on my muzzle. We shared a wolf glance before we slowly looked up.

Immediately, the fur on my back raised, my hackles going up. Yelping and growling, we spun out into the meadow and looked at the spot above where we'd just been standing.

_Oh my god,_ Brayden murmured.

It was Chad, the guy I'd threatened this morning at the school. He was strung up in the trees, throat ripped out, and claw marks all over his body. Blood covered every inch of his skin and clothes. One of his eyes was open, wide and pale in the moonlight that managed to peek through the trees. The other had been punctured, clear, thick fluid covering his cheek. The body hung limp secured by ropes to the branches, splaying him out as if he'd been crucified. The trees rattled in a gust of wind and another scent hit us, hidden under the blood. I gagged on the smell that should only be coming from an outhouse. I'd heard that fear and death could cause the loss of control for bowel and bladder. And I scenting that firsthand.

It was safe to say my craving was gone, and the chocolate from the s'mores was ready to make a reappearance. All I could think was _I didn't do this._

_Of course you didn't, _Bray mentally choked out. He was also trying not to look at the body or take deep breaths as blood and other things dripped down through the branches.

It made me think of what else had dripped all over me. Phasing back to human, I went to my knees and tossed up everything I'd eaten that day. A howl went up, heard over my retching, but I ignored it as my stomach spasmed, gut convulsing, throat raw.

Aunt Morgan and Aunt Christa slammed through the bushes a moment later, screeching to a halt beside me. Aunt Morgan moved to stand with Brayden and stared at the body while Aunt Christa stayed with me. Hastily, even though my eyes were still watering and my throat convulsing, I managed to pull on my sweats with shaky hands. She'd turned away when she'd realized that I was naked. Now, she turned back to me, gently licking my face.

Gripping her fur as tightly as I dared, I buried my face behind her ear. "I didn't do this," I croaked.

Pulling away a little, she looked back at me with that ever popular expression in her wolf eyes. The one that said, "Tell me something I don't know, genius." Well, at least they had faith in me.

Dad, Uncle Seth, Uncle Emmett, Uncle Jasper, and Grampa Edward came through the shrubs a moment later. Uncle Seth went to stand with Brayden and Morgan. Dad came over to me, staring at the carnage. Letting go of Aunt Christa, I moved to stand beside him. Grampa Edward was next to me a moment later.

Frowning, I looked me up and down. "Are you alright?"

I nodded, still feeling a little green even though there couldn't possibly be anything else in my stomach. "Yeah. What the hell did this?"

He shook his head. "From the looks of the slices, could have been a wolf or a mountain lion."

I looked at him. "You don't sound so sure."

"Will, natural wolves don't come up or down this far because of the two packs. So, in that instance, it would have had to have been one of Jacob's wolves or one of Walker's. Walker has ordered his pack not to attack anyone. And of course, your and your father's pack are here to protect, not murder." Then he amended himself. "However, a member of Walker's pack wouldn't be bound by an order. They would still be able to disobey." He looked to Christa. "Is there any chance?"

She stared at him but I knew that she was mentally talking. His brow pulled down low as he listened.

Frowning, I said, "But even if it was a mountain lion, who strung him to the tree?"

"Exactly." He looked to Dad. "Jacob, we have to call the rez police. Charlie wouldn't be a bad idea either."

Dad turned and snapped at him.

"Jacob," Grampa fired back, "this isn't about the pack. A boy was murdered. Not mention that the way it was done looks like a wolf got to him. Do you really want you or the pack blamed for this? The best thing is to call, tell them what you know, and let it work itself out."

"Dad," I whispered as an awful thought hit me. When he looked at me, I swallowed hard and admitted to this morning. "I threatened him. This morning."

"What?" Grampa asked as Dad turned to stare at me.

Brayden trotted over to us, standing beside me as my dad and grandfather faced me.

"The kid was a trouble-maker. We all knew that, and he was a bully. Sexually harassing all the girls, probably worse, terrorizing the lower classmen. Today, I caught him going after Hunter. He was touching her, being racist, and suggesting she…they…" I couldn't even bring myself to say it because just thinking about it made me see red. "I told him to clean himself up, to stop harassing the girls. If he didn't, I told him the police would be the least of his worries."

Dad growled and I knew he was cussing up a storm. Grampa just quirked an eyebrow in his direction. "That doesn't bear repeating, Jacob."

I looked at my father. "Dad, I only meant to scare him. The police weren't doing it even though he'd been picked up numerous times."

Grampa held up his hands, his phone in one of them. "Okay. Alright. But we still need to call the police. The boy should be taken care of properly."

Grumbling, Dad went to Uncle Emmett, who I saw was carrying a large duffel. He opened it and draped a pair of sweats around Dad's neck. Brayden and Uncle Seth followed.

When Dad came back, he looked concerned. "Morgan, Christa, go run the perimeter. See if you can find anything. I don't scent any of Walker's wolves. Nor mine. Or any mountain lions for that matter."

Uncle Jasper stepped forward, looking up at the body while Grampa dialed Grampa Charlie and the rez police. "Well, he most certainly didn't get up there on his own." He studied it objectively, like it didn't bother him. After his past, it probably didn't.

"You think?" Dad snapped irritably.

Uncle Jasper gave him an arched eyebrow over his shoulder. "What's odd," he continued, "is that there are no scents. Nothing human besides our victim. No other wolves. No other predators. And yet," he motioned up into the trees, "here we are."

"What are you suggesting?" Uncle Seth asked.

"Tristan's pack found a way to hide their scent. A way we never identified."

Grampa frowned. "You think something is in the woods?"

Uncle Emmett spoke up then. "It makes sense. This area is the least patrolled. The packs generally stay around Forks and the Makah rez watching over the people, not the trees."

Sirens sounded in the distance. We all sort of just froze and quieted down. I'd never been in trouble with the police before so I was nervous. Grampa Edward, Uncle Jasper, and Uncle Emmett all left before the cops showed up, just in case the chief was wary of the Cullens' involvement.

Dad put a hand on my shoulder. "Just tell them what you told us, alright?"

I nodded.

Brayden stepped up beside me. "It was both of us. We'll both go through this. They might split us up. Will, it's important that we keep our stories the same. Just tell it like it happened. Leave nothing out. If they don't separate us, I can do the talking, okay?"

I nodded again. "TV is a wonderful teacher, isn't it?"

He puffed out a laugh.

It wasn't long until Grampa Charlie and Chief Bruce Yates came through the trees. My great-grandfather looked haggard, rough and tired. He'd been in bad shape since Grampa Billy died, and I knew he was contemplating retiring from the station. He and the rez chief looked around the meadow and up at Chad's body. They both took pictures with their phones and disposable cameras before coming over to us. On the way over, Chief Yates called in the morgue attendants.

He nodded at us. "Jacob." He shook my dad's hand and then looked at me. "William."

I shook his hand. "Chief Yates."

He shook hands with Brayden and Uncle Seth. Then he took out a pen and notebook from his jacket pocket. "Alright, you boys want to tell me what happened?"

Brayden ran a hand through his hair. "Well, Will and I were walking back up to our houses from spending the afternoon at Embry Call's place. On the way back through the back roads, we started smelling blood. Fresh, human blood." The chief knew about the pack so he was comfortable dealing with us. "Being who we are, we decided to check it out. The more we moved into the woods, the stronger it got, so we phased and ran for it. When we got here, the meadow was empty. But we stood there for a minute or so. That's when Will felt something drip on his head. We looked up and found the body. We've been here ever since."

The chief was scribbling notes down as was Grampa Charlie.

Bruce frowned over the paper. "So you didn't see anyone run out of the woods or hear anything? Or smell anything running in?"

We shook our heads.

"In all honesty, we were more concerned with the blood and where it was coming from," I said. "But no, nobody came out of the woods. No large animals around. Everything was quiet."

"Did you know him?" Charlie asked.

Brayden and I shared a look. Dad nudged me. "Go on, son. Tell them everything."

Charlie's greying eyebrows rose while Bruce's frown deepened.

I nodded. "Yes, sir, we knew him."

"Let me guess, you didn't get along?"

"Not exactly."

"So what happened?"

Brayden started to step up but I shook my head, telling him that I would handle this one. His expression said he didn't like it, but he took it as an order and stepped back. I took a deep breath. "This morning there was an incident. He was sexually harassing…a student." I'd almost said Hunter's name, but thought better of it. "A female student. We all knew that he had a history of doing that plus other things around the rez. You've picked him up before for drugs and stuff. But he wasn't listening to the police so I told him that if he kept it up, the police would be the least of his worries."

Now both chiefs turned angry. Grampa Charlie shook his head and turned away. Bruce just glared at me. "So you threatened him with the pack."

Desperately, I said, "Look, I didn't threaten to kill him. I just wanted to scare him into thinking that the pack was watching him. I just told him that everybody on the rez was under our protection including those who aren't Quileute and that we wouldn't tolerate harassment. You've arrested him so many times, but it hasn't done anything. He was still a douche. I just thought stepping it up to the pack watching him would scare him enough to cool off."

"What were your exact words?"

Dammit. Of course he asked that. But it was better I tell him now than he hear worse things from the witnesses in the hallway. "I told him that if he hurt or harassed anyone else on the rez or Forks and I heard about it, that I'd come after him."

He looked up from his notepad expectantly. "You really expect me to believe that that's all you said? Spit it out, son."

"I'm not your son," I said on reflex.

He gave me a look.

"Sorry. I told him that I don't have the time or patience to deal with is petty crap so if I did come after him he'd better pray he could run fast enough."

"And I told him," Brayden said, "that if he messed with anyone under our protection, he messed with us, the whole pack."

Grampa and Bruce both looked at us.

"So you both said something," Grampa said.

Brayden nodded. "Yes. Listen, he may have been a high school student but what would have happened after his senior year? You really think he would have cleaned up? No. He'd have gotten worse. We were trying to nip it in bud before that happened." He looked to Bruce. "No offense, but the police weren't threatening to him. But I can assure you that we didn't do this."

Bruce looked back at the body that was in the process of being taken down out of the tree. He sighed. "Alright, just between us, I believe you didn't do this. I've known you both since you were in diapers. Not to mention the kid's been dead for a few hours. And I believe Mr. Call will corroborate your story."

"And so will his eleven year old daughter, Parker," I said. "We made her s'mores. If you need proof, it's over in the grass where I threw up my guts."

Bruce chuckled and wrote something down. "Okay, boys. I'm going to advise that you take the next two days off school."

"What? Why?" I asked.

Now he glared at me and pointed his pen at me. "Boy, I'm going to be at that school talking to witnesses. Do you really want to see that? I can't just not follow up. I have to show that I'm doing something about this because it will get out. Go have a four day weekend. It's your birthday anyway. Get ready for the party. I'll talk to your principal."

When he started to walk away, I called him back. He turned and I held out my hand. "Thank you. For believing us."

He shook my hand. "You're good kids and just trying to follow your dads' shadows. I understand that. Now go home. I've got work to do." Then he walked off. "Keep your phones on," he added over his shoulder.

Dad put a hand on the back of my neck. "Come on, son. Let's do what the good chief says. I'm sure Mom is dying to see you."

"Did you tell her?"

He chuckled. "All she knows is that a howl went up and you aren't at home. That's cause enough for her to worry."

We went into the woods to circle the scene so that we could go back the way Bray and I had come. I grabbed my backpack and clothes when we got to them. Brayden and Uncle Seth weren't far behind.

"Dad," I started.

He shook his head. "Don't apologize. I know that's what you're about to do."

I slumped a little, staring at the ground as we walked. "Yes, sir."

Now he stopped and turned to look at me. "Will, why is that when you're in trouble or think you are that you start the 'sir' crap? I am your father. You don't have to talk to me like I'm a stranger. Besides, I wasn't telling you not to apologize because I was angry. If anything, I'm proud of you."

Surprised, I looked up at him.

He nodded, a smile on his face. "Yeah, you heard me. You stood up for what was right, protecting your own. You and Bray both. Granted, I wouldn't have done it in such a public place, but I bet you were trying to make a statement to everyone, weren't you? It wasn't just him you were talking to, was it?"

We started walking again as I shook my head. "No. Bray and I ended up saying it to everyone listening. He just happened to be in front of me. How did you know?"

"You're my son. It's an instinct to establish your dominance with your own generation. Sure, their parents tell them who I am, therefore, who you are. But you need to let them know that you're not my shadow, that you are your own person and wolf. You have your own ideals and visions for the future of the pack and the rez. The pack is changing with your generation, Will. Hybrids, mental abilities."

"You mean how Brayden can hide things?"

He nodded. "And you, too."

"Me?" I asked astonished.

He nodded again. "Edward can't read you or Brayden in wolf form. But _you _he can't read in human form now that you've phased."

My jaw dropped as I stared over at him. "What?"

"Yeah, seems you're just like your grandmother. Of course, Bells would give you a gift that would cause problems for me spying on you. Even phased, you can hide stuff just like Brayden. You are a hybrid, too."

I thought about that for a second. "Huh, I guess I am. I never thought about that before."

"Your grandfather seems to think that once Jules and the twins phase, you might be able to open a link between you as wolves to communicate amongst the four of you without anyone else hearing. Now don't go telling people I told you this. Your mother and I were debating telling you at all. You grandfather isn't fond of the idea that he can't read your mind anymore."

Snorting, I said, "Yeah because he can't spy on me anymore."

Dad didn't think it was funny. Instead he shook his head. "Will, Edward is scared of that. It was how he stayed connected to you. And now he's lost that ability. He feels useless. Not only that, but you, your sister, and your brothers are beyond precious to him. He was a century old when he met Bella. He'd given up hope of a family long before that because of being a vampire. And then they had your mother. Suddenly, he had a family. A precious baby girl that he couldn't believe he was allowed to have. Now, he has four grandchildren. A whole century after he died, his bloodline is allowed a second chance. That's big for him. Sometimes, he may seem distant. I get that. Even after almost eighteen years, he's still thinking that this is all a dream, a fantasy, and that he'll wake up back before he was turned. He loves you very much, but it's hard for him to really show it. Don't think he doesn't love you and that you can't go to him for anything. He'd give you and your siblings the moon if you asked."

Brayden came up behind me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. We walked back to our houses in silence. There'd been a local news van on the street along with the police cruisers. A crowd of people had made their way from the main parts of the rez to try to get a peek. They'd be waiting for a while as they tried to get the body through the woods. On the way through the rez, Dad called Mom, telling her what happened even though I was sure Grampa Edward had said something. Eventually, we made it back home. Mom and Aunt Shelby were standing on the Clearwaters' porch looking worried. Piper, Jules, and the twins were standing by the lake talking.

Mom flew down the porch steps to grab me as soon as we were close enough. Aunt Shelby did the same with Brayden. I hugged my mother tightly. The scent of mint and honey filled my nose, cleaning out the shit, urine, and blood smell that had taken residence in my sinus cavity. I took in deep breaths of her before pulling back.

"I'm okay, Mom. Promise."

She pulled back, eyes full of concern. "You're not in trouble?"

I shook my head. "Yates believed us. But he said that I need to stay home for the rest of the week. He's going to need to talk to the school because of an incident we had with the kid this morning."

She frowned. "Incident? What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom. So is Brayden." I shrugged. "My first taste of pack business, I guess."

"He did good," Dad said from behind me. He had that tone of pride that made me want to puff my chest like a bird.

Mom looked around me at him. "He did _well_," she corrected.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just know you should be proud."

"Of course I'm proud. When am I not?"

Chuckling, I extracted myself from her grip. "Alright, Mom-."

My phone started ringing from my backpack. It was my default ring for numbers that I didn't know or new numbers. Excusing myself, I dug it out thinking it was Chief Yates needing me to answer more questions. It wasn't. Hunter's name flashed. Heart stopping then speeding up, I walked away from the group looking for a bit of silence and privacy.

"Hello?"

"Thank God. Are you okay?" Her voice was thick with worry. But it made my heart leap to hear it.

I frowned. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

She blew out a relieved breath. "The news. Chief Yates is on the local channel saying that someone was confirmed dead. A male student from the high school. I was scared it was you. They're not saying who it was."

That was fast. But then again, getting out a statement as soon as possible was probably a good thing.

Her worry for me made me want to kiss her, among other things. I let out my own breath. "I'm perfectly okay. I promise. But, hey, listen, I'm not going to be at school tomorrow or Friday."

"Why not?" It sounded like she was pouting.

I tried to fight the grin as I explained. "Because I know who it was. Brayden and I found the body in the first place. If we hadn't, nobody would have found it for days or even weeks."

Now she made an irritated noise. "Well, are you going to tell me?"

Looking around, I made sure nobody was watching or paying attention to me. "It was Chad. From this morning."

I could practically hear her frown. "You mean the jackass who hit on me that you threatened?"

"Yes. That's why I need to lay low. Yates is going to be there talking to the other students who were in the hallway. If he questions you, don't tell him I told you this, alright? I'll catch shit for not telling him that the student Chad was harassing was you and that we're…together, but let me handle that if it comes out, okay? I told him about the threat I made, but he believes that it wasn't me or Brayden who killed him, so you don't have to lie for me. Just tell him what happened if he questions you." I didn't want her getting into any trouble because of me.

"Okay, I'll remember that. Should I tell him we're together?"

My gut clenched at the thought that she had just put a confirmation on something I'd still been unsure of. "Just say we're a new couple. It's the truth anyway. My threat wasn't just meant for Chad. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, of course. I heard Brayden talking to everyone."

"Good. Look, if you have any trouble tomorrow or Friday, call me or my dad."

"I will."

"Are _you_ okay?"

She let out a choked laugh. "I am now. Scared the crap out of me when he said the _male_ body was found in the woods. Do they know what did it?"

Taking a deep breath, I said, "No. We know it was some kind of animal, but not what." Then I frowned. She'd asked "what" not "who" as if she'd known that he'd been killed by something not human. This time my gut clenched in something other than affection or lust. But I kept my suspicion quiet. I'd talk to Brayden later. Or Dad. "Neither the pack nor the other half of my family could find a scent. But he was definitely mauled by something." I didn't tell her the gruesome details because I didn't want her to have the nightmares I knew I was going to have tonight. "So please be careful around your place. If you go outside, make sure it's to get straight into your car. No more walking since you live in the woods. Okay?"

There was a pause before I heard her swallow hard. "Yeah, okay."

"Promise me, Hunter," I demanded. "The woods aren't safe right now, and I don't want the next body I find to be yours. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand. I promise, Will. You be careful out there, too. Alright?"

"Of course."

"I'm serious."

Despite my suspicion, I couldn't help the smile at her protective tone. "I know. I am, too. I'll be careful."

"You better be. Well, I guess you need to get back to your family. I'll text you tomorrow with updates, okay?"

"Sounds good."

"Okay, well, goodnight."

"Good night, Hunter."

We hung up and I turned around only to jump out of my skin. Piper was standing there with her arms crossed over her stomach.

"Shiiit!" I hissed.

She raised an eyebrow. "Girlfriend?"

I looked around frantically. "Shh!"

"Oh come on, Will. If you bring her this weekend everyone's going to know. Besides, I'm pretty sure our moms know because your dad talks to your mom and your mom talks to mine."

"That doesn't mean I want to add it to my shit list tonight, Piper."

I tucked my phone into the pocket of my sweats and started walking toward the group. Jules and the twins had joined Mom and Dad. Piper caught up to me, walking beside me. She had to walk faster to keep up with my slower pace because her legs were shorter.

"So is Chad really dead?"

I looked over at her. "You could at least sound a little upset. The kid lost his life."

She gave me a look. "You're the same age as he was. And upset? As much shit as I've heard about him, he deserved it."

Stopping I grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop and turn. I glared at her. "Nobody deserves what he got, Piper. You weren't there. You didn't see what they did to him. I don't care how much of an asshole he was, _nobody _deserves that. I know you're not a sociopath so try to show a little compassion."

I left her there to stare after me. I may have been pissed that he'd hurt people, had almost hurt Hunter, but that didn't mean he'd deserved to die painfully like that and then strung up like a broken doll. It made me nervous that we didn't have anything to blame yet even though werewolf was looking pretty good. I didn't like knowing there was something in my woods hurting people. It was going to end. I'd make sure of it.

Jules came up to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her ear to my heart. "Are you okay? Really okay?" she whispered.

I hugged her and rested my cheek on her hair. "I don't know. It was bad, Jules. Really bad. How's Bray?"

"Going into shock. Dad and Uncle Seth said he'd seemed fine down there, but he's not so fine right now."

Looking up over her shoulder, I saw that Piper had gone to her brother. He was holding onto her for all he was worth, face buried in her hair. She was slowly stroking his hair, neck, and back. I knew he probably wished it was Jules, but it was still nice to have someone to hold onto when you felt like your world was tilting. After a moment, she moved to stand beside him and helped him into their house. Ash and Maddox came over to us. Everybody was breaking up and heading for their homes. Mom and Dad were walking over.

"Alright," Mom said, coming over to touch my face and brush my hair back out of my eyes. "Let's go inside. It's chilly out tonight."

Jules tightened her grip around me before stepping back. "Yeah, you need some food before you go into shock, too."

I was herded inside by my family. Dad had my backpack and still had that proud, smug look on his face. The boy inside me glowed at the fact that I'd made my father proud. That was all I'd ever wanted. But I knew this wasn't even close to over yet. There were so many more opportunities for disappointment. I just hoped we all survived the mysterious thing running our woods.

**HunterPOV**

The moment I got off the phone with Will, I grabbed my jacket, wallet, and car keys. Even when I made them in character, I didn't break my promises. After jumping into the Jeep, I flew up out of the rez toward a back road that was right outside of Forks on the other side. It led past a piece of land that held so many cabins it was like its own town. That was the other pack that held territory over this area. Walker's pack. He was respected throughout the supernatural world for integrating so easily into pack leader with minimal deaths. It was a serious accomplishment.

I drove by it, heading further north. When I got the place I was looking for, I pulled up close to the double doors. Wolves poured out of the woods from either side until I stepped out of the car. Glaring at them, I went for the barn. They backed off to melt into the darkness. I banged on the old wood with a fist. It opened a moment later by the huge lead enforcer, Jerome. He nodded once respectfully as I pushed past him.

"Where is he?" I demanded, my accent swinging in full force. It was good to let it loose.

Silently, Jerome nodded toward the last stall on the right. Light was shining from it, shadows playing on the walls. The grunts and skin-slapping of hard sex got louder as I moved toward the stall. He was with a female. Go figure. Probably his fifth tonight. The man was insatiable.

The muted scream of a female's climax echoed the huge space as I flung the door open. Chains rattled as she thrashed. The sight was one I'd seen before. Drina was naked, her wrists chained above her head, and gagged. Melice had pulled her up so that she was standing, leaning face first against the wall while he had his way with her. It was one of his favorite submissive positions. He was just finishing on his end, pulling out of her limp body when I stepped in. There were bloody furrows on his body, what I could see of it since he still had his jeans on. Drina was also bloody and sagged in the chains when he pulled back.

"I do hope you left her alive since I refuse the chains," I said.

My future mate turned with a rather evil grin as he tucked himself back in his jeans. From what I saw, he was still hard. Melice had black hair cut short and dark blue eyes. His body rippled with taut muscle as he stalked over to me, licking his lips, eyes roaming my body.

"Ah, my alpha female. I do hope you've come to play?" He wrapped his arms around me and pressed our bodies together so tightly that I felt his erection against my stomach. The feel of it made my body hot and tight.

"No," I whispered, flicking my tongue out to lick the blood from a scratch on his neck.

He shivered in my arms. "Then why are you here?" he asked in my ear. "I hope not to tease me. I'm far from sated tonight."

"Why? Because you killed tonight?" He always got a high off killing things, especially if they personally wronged him.

He grinned again. "Did you like my gift?"

"Hardly. A dead boy?" I wasn't one to kill without need. Chad had been harmless to me.

"He threatened you," he growled. "Nobody threatens my female." He moved closer so that his lips hovered over mine. "Not even a weak human."

I pulled back but stayed in his arms. "So you _are_ following me, or having someone else do it. Melice, I can't act my part if you don't tell me these things. I don't need to be surprised. And by the way, no more killing, not like that. William Black found the body. You got damn lucky the police didn't suspect the pack, otherwise, Will would have been a prime suspect for his threats. I need Will."

Melice's amusement died with that last statement. He took in a deep breath and growled it out as he pulled away from me to go back to Drina. She was still limp, the chains digging into her wrists. He removed them, took off her gag, and laid her down on a large canvas tarp. He may like rough sex, but he always took care of his toys so that he might use them again. Having to break in new ones always irritated him. After extinguishing the light, he pulled me out of the stall and shut the door.

Then, without warning, he slammed me back against the wall of another stall. Clenching his jaw, he lifted one finger to trail from my lips, over my chin, and down my chest to my cleavage, pulling my shirt down a little to reveal the royal purple bra. Those blue eyes darkened with want as he licked his lips. His thigh moved up between mine. "Yes, William. I don't like him."

"I don't either," I said even though a part of me didn't like the thought of hurting him. I pushed that part away, unsure of where it came from. Chess piece, he was a bloody chess piece. "But that's not the point."

"I don't see why you don't just go to the man's house and kill him. Then we can go home and be properly mated."

Arching my back so my breasts hit his chest, I ran my hands down his arms, smearing the blood. "It's the game, Mel. I want to play it. You promised we'd do it my way." I pouted. "Would you truly deny me my fun?"

Growling, he leaned forward, taking my bottom lip between his teeth and bit hard until I tasted blood. I moaned in bliss before he let go. The cut would heal slower but be gone by morning. "No, I suppose not," he whispered, running his hands over my body. "But you best hurry up. I want what was promised to me. I can't take you until we're mated per my father's orders." Gripping my breast hard, he put his lips to my ear. "And I very much want to take you. Hard. Fast. In every way imaginable. This body will be mine, and I will know every inch of it by the morning after our mating."

His words sent chills over my body, nipples tightening under his hands. My hips moved over their own accord, rubbing me against his thigh pressed between my legs.

"Since I can't have you yet, will you stay tonight? Watch me take another female?"

I'd only ever heard him ask me for anything. To everybody else, he demanded and took what he wanted. He was next in line to lead. His father had raised and groomed me to be his son's mate someday, but I had to prove myself to them with this assignment.

Breathy with anticipation, I nodded. "Yes," I breathed.

His grin was all sexual male. "Good. You can pick."

"One condition," I said, bringing my fingers up to his lips.

"Anything."

"No more killing. The human wasn't a threat to me. If we want to get out of here quietly, we can't kill. Murder doesn't happen here because of the packs. I'm not asking to bust your balls, Mel. I want to keep our people safe. Jacob's and Walker's packs will get suspicious. They'll widen their patrols and find us. Please."

I could tell he didn't like it even though I'd made it a request. But he knew it was the best course of action if we wanted to get out undetected after I got what I'd come here for. He sucked my fingers into his mouth, tongue licking his blood off of them, and nodded. "I know you don't relish killing the way I do because of what happened to you. Innocents dying just doesn't do it for you. Including those weak humans. Fine. Agreed."

Grinning, I pulled my fingers from his mouth to suck them into mine, tasting his essence and blood. "Thank you."

Breathing hard and aggressively, he reached up to fist my hair, yanking my head back. He licked and nibbled my lips. "Pick the female."

I put all the heat and sex into my eyes as I said, "Ashlynn."

His eyes darkened again at my choice. Out of all the females here, she was the one who had no restrictions when it came to sex. She'd do anything, especially with an audience. No to mention, she had stamina to match his own. Plus she was always willing. He tended to pick females who weren't. And that was something I just didn't approve of.

This was going to be a long bloody night.

**Two Days Later…Friday**

**WillPOV**

Mom and I were patty-ing out the hamburgers for the weekend. I wasn't used to being in the kitchen. Cooking wasn't a forte of mine. That was Ash. Mashing the hamburger was actually harder than it seemed. Mom made some of the most delicious hamburgers I'd ever had and I was struggling to match her examples.

I held out the patty in my hand. "Uh, Mom?"

She looked over and laughed. "You're getting there. Don't pat it so thin. We need it to stay thick and hold the juices. Here, like this." She came over and took my hands. Together we balled the meat back up, and she used my hands to mold it. "There. See? The trick is to not overthink it. Just do what feels right."

"Can I just beat the steaks? I know I can do that."

She laughed again. Spending yesterday and today with her was relaxing. It was nice to help her out around the house and have her help on my homework. She was a whiz at literature and it was nice not to feel pressure. My mother was patient and knew how to outline a story for me. I wasn't great at Shakespeare. Mom was so much better than Spark Notes. I wished I could take her to school with me.

Speaking of school, Hunter had texted me updates about Yates being at the school. He did question her and she'd told him everything. Apparently, he wasn't happy that I hadn't mentioned her. I had a feeling I'd be getting a call or a visit.

"So you turn eighteen tomorrow," Mom said. "Feel any older?"

I let out a burst of laughter. "Ha, I feel ancient and like a toddler at the same time."

Her smile was bright and open. "Well, baby," she said, adding a little bit of seasoning to the meat we hadn't yet patted out, "even as a toddler, you were very smart and learned very quickly. You'll adjust."

I grinned at her just as there was a knock on the door. We frowned at each other. Yates? Grabbing a towel, I wiped off my hands. "I'll get it."

The knock had been soft and hesitant. Told me that it probably wasn't someone we knew. I opened the door to find a fellow classmate. The one classmate I'd been nervous about talking to Yates. Chad's girlfriend.

"Jenny?"

Her smile was small. "Hi, Will."

"What are you doing here?"

She tightened her sweater around her. It was thick and clearly warm enough for the cold front that had moved in. Jenny was a tiny girl, barely reaching my sternum. I was well over six feet tall now and about two heads taller than her. Her dark hair was long, nearly reaching her waist. She had it partially up and held by a clip. The girl looked beyond fragile, and I'd always questioned how she'd been with a guy like Chad.

"I was hoping I could talk to you. Chief Yates talked to me yesterday and today. I left early. Not feeling too well."

I frowned, not knowing how to react to her lack of aggression. "Sure. Come on in."

"Thank you." She came in, moving slowly, tiredly.

I closed the door behind her. "Jenny, this is my mom, Renesmee. Mom, this my classmate, Jenny."

Mom washed her hands and came over with a smile. "Hi, Jenny. You can call me Nessie or Mrs. Black. It'll be easier than my whole name."

Jenny smiled weakly and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you."

My mom frowned a little but said, "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Water would be nice. Thank you."

I walked over to the couch. "Come sit down. You look exhausted."

She sighed as she sat on the love seat. "I kind of am. It's been a stressful couple of days."

"I can imagine. I'm so sorry."

Mom came around to hand her a glass of water.

She took it. "Thank you, Mrs. Black."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Mom." I turned to Jenny. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Gathering her thoughts, she took some deep pulls from the glass before holding it on her lap. "I don't want you to think that I think you did this. I know you didn't. I heard what happened the morning he died, how he went after your girlfriend."

I felt Mom's eyes snap to me at that, but for now, I ignored it.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. I would never-,"

Leaning over, she put a hand on my arm. "Will, I know. He was impossible to deal with. I know that. But I came here to tell you about what I told the police." Her skin was cold against mine. "He was dealing drugs again, this time more careful than before. He was being threatened by his suppliers because he wasn't delivering the money to them. He kept getting caught and it taken from him. I told the police that it was probably his suppliers who did that to him. Steering them away from you."

Stunned, I just gaped at her for a moment. "Um, well, thanks, I guess. But how do you know what happened to him?"

Her brown eyes went distant as she took a deep breath. "I had to identify the body. His mother was too drunk and high to get off her ass. She's why he was the way he was. No discipline."

"Damn. Jenny-," The thought of this small, quiet girl having to see something like that was disgusting.

She shrugged. "It's alright. I grew used to it."

I gripped her hand, trying to warm it up. "If you didn't like him or his mother, why did you stay with him?"

She hesitated before unbuttoning the sweater and I had my answer. "Soon, I won't be able to hide it. When my grandmother found out that I was pregnant and it was his child, she tossed me out. I had nowhere else to go. Despite his faults, Chad wanted to be there for the baby. I know he didn't love me. I didn't love him. It was a mistake, but the baby was important to us both." She laughed sarcastically. "I don't even know how we thought we could support a baby. And it's not like I can give it up for adoption."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"I have pack blood but I never phased. My parents left me with my grandmother when I was little so I don't know if they ever phased. I haven't heard from them since they dumped me on my grandmother's front step. What if the baby goes to a family who lives near vampires? I don't know why I didn't phase, but I can't risk that for my baby. I just can't." She smoothed her hand over her small bump.

She could still give up the baby to a family here on the rez, but I doubted that was a choice she wanted to entertain. That would be hard, knowing your baby was growing up so close to you and would never know who you were. So I didn't mention it. "Jenny, why haven't you ever come to us? To my dad? To me? We would have taken care of you. Have you had any medical care?"

Fighting tears, she shook her head. "Can't afford it. Nanna doesn't want me working, and her assistance is only enough to pay the bills and groceries. I'm in the process of moving back in with her now that Chad is gone. "

I looked at Mom over my shoulder. Anger and anguish hit me hard for her. Mom looked just as saddened. Asking a question with my eyes, she nodded the answer. I turned back to Jenny. "Listen, I'm not going to let you do this alone. I'll take you down to the Cullen place. Carlisle will look after you and the baby, alright? No charge whatsoever."

Jenny gripped my hand and shook her head. "Oh, Will, I can't-,"

"You will," I said firmly. "Period. And you'll go to him for any medical care you or your grandmother needs. For anything else, you'll come to me or my dad."

Now she let the tears go. "Thank you," she whispered.

"The pack is supposed to protect the rez. We encourage anyone to come to us if they need any form of help and we'll do what we can."

"I know," she said. She reached for a tissue on the table. "I just…I didn't want to be a bother."

"Oh, Jenny," Mom said, coming over. She sat down beside the girl and stroked a hand down her back. "Honestly, it wouldn't be a bother. Protecting the rez means helping when needed. We can't help if we don't know. And we want to help. We want you to bother us. I'm home every day. I would love for you to come talk and vent to me whenever you need to. Anybody is welcome to ask for help whether or not they have pack blood."

Jenny's lip quivered before she burst into tears. Mom wrapped her arms around her and pulled her close, tucking Jenny's head under her chin. "It's okay, sweetie. We'll get you taken care of."

Getting up, I took out my phone and called Grampa Carlisle. He said he'd be happy to see Jenny as soon as she was ready. Once she calmed down a little, Mom and I got her into the SUV and I drove them down to the house. Jenny was nervous at first. The rez knew about the Cullens because Dad had introduced Mom to them first and then the rest of the Cullens. That was why my family didn't have to move away. Although my Aunt Alice and Aunt Rosalie had gone on a trip together leaving Grama Bella and Grama Esme alone with the guys.

Mom took Jenny's hand as we all stood on the porch. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm a Cullen."

Jenny tossed her a wary look. "You don't look like a Cullen."

Mom smiled. "I'm half," she said cryptically. "It's alright. They won't hurt you. We're vegetarians; and my grandfather is the best of us. Let him take a look at you and the baby. You'll feel much better that you did."

Jenny gripped her hand. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course."

"I always thought pregnant teenagers were idiots. I guess I proved that right, huh?"

My mother's smile was gentle as she moved some hair from Jenny's face. "You're not an idiot, sweetie. Just a little misguided. But don't worry. We will get you well taken care of. I never break my promises, Jenny. Never."

"It's true," I said. "And if my mother is half Cullen, then I'm part Cullen, too. Do you trust _me_?"

Looking over her shoulder at me, she studied me before nodding. "Yeah. I do."

I smiled. "Then trust me when I tell that you'll be safe in there. I'll even stand guard outside the door if you want. My mom and Carlisle will be the only two in there with you. Okay?"

She nodded again. "Okay."

We went inside. Grampa Carlisle was waiting for us in the living room. Smiling, he moved slowly, coming forward to greet Jenny.

"Hi, Jenny. I'm Carlisle, or Dr. Cullen. Whichever you chose."

"Hi," she whispered.

"Jenny, I want to promise you that I will do whatever I can to make this as easy for you as possible. I've been told about your situation, and I understand the stress that you're under. This is a very safe place for both you and the baby."

She nodded and some of the tension left her body. Color was returning to her skin. It had probably been the worry and stress that had been making her feel sick.

My grandfather smiled. "Shall we?"

Nodding again, she and Mom followed him up the stairs. I was right behind them. Grampa Edward, Uncle Jasper, and Uncle Emmett were nowhere to be seen but I could hear Grama Esme in the kitchen, humming to herself. I'd say hi to her on the way out. Right now, I needed to keep a promise to someone I was supposed to protect. As we made our way up the stairs, I made a silent promise that I'd watch over her and check in on her throughout the pregnancy. She deserved nothing less.

I stood outside in the hall as the three of them disappeared into the medical room. I tried not to listen to what was going on so I continuously checked my phone. Eventually, I got lucky. Ash texted asking where Mom and I were. I told them to come down here and that I'd explain. Then I got a phone call from Chief Yates. I let it dump to voicemail. The man was not a happy camper. Clearly he wanted to rip me a new one. Oh well. I'd deal with him later.

It wasn't long until Maddox, Ash, and Jules showed up, climbing up the stairs.

Ash frowned. "What's wrong? Mom okay?"

I met them halfway down the hall. No need for Jenny to hear me. "Mom's fine, but she's in there with Carlisle and Jenny, Chad's girlfriend."

Maddox shook his head. "She's a cute girl. I really don't understand why she stayed with him."

I lowered my voice. "She's pregnant. Her parents threw her out so she had nowhere else to go. Nobody knows she's pregnant, so don't say anything even though it won't be long until she can't hide it anymore. Her grandmother can't afford the medical bills so she's never seen a doctor. Mom and I brought her down here as soon we found out. And get this, she has pack blood."

Jules gasped. "What? So that means…"

I nodded. "The baby has pack blood. She came up to the house today to tell me she knew I didn't kill Chad. She also said he was in trouble with his drug suppliers and that's what she told Yates. However, he's pissed at me because neither I nor Brayden told him about Hunter. Not that she and I were making a go of it or that she was the one he harassed that morning."

Ash met my eyes. "So you're really dating her?"

There was no judgment in his black eyes. I nodded. "Yeah. Figured it would be the best way to keep her close by."

"Did you imprint?" Maddox asked point blank and rather aggressively.

Raising my eyebrows, I looked over at him. "Don't get pissy with me. I don't have to tell you everything."

Now Maddox got angry. His eyes darkened, jaw clenched. "And when did that start? We've always been open with each other."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I narrowed my eyes. "Oh, and you're not keeping anything from us?"

An incredulous look crossed his expression as he held up his arms as if showcasing something. "And just what the hell would I be keeping from you? I've never not told you something when you asked me. Don't get all high and mighty and self-righteous on me, big brother."

Ash shifted beside me, a guilty expression flashing across his face before he smoothed it over. Hmmm.

"Shh," Jules hissed. "Keep your voice down."

Maddox just glared at me before shaking his head and moving down the hall toward the stairs. Jules shrugged when I looked at her for help. It was that shrug that said "it's up to you".

Damn. "Dox, wait," I said.

He paused and turned around, giving me an expectant look.

I moved to stand in front of him. "I won't tell you because of the tantrum you just threw but because you're my brother. And you're right. We don't keep things from each other. So the answer's yes. I imprinted on Hunter."

"And that brings the total to three who now know," Jules said sarcastically, her arms crossed.

"Four," I corrected. "Brayden knows. I told him that day on the way to see Parker."

Maddox frowned. "Why don't you tell anyone? That doesn't make sense, Will."

"Because, now more than ever, I have that feeling that something bad is happening around here, and maybe she's involved."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, crossing his arms and frowning.

Glancing at the door, I motioned them closer to the stairs and the overhang that looked out over the living room. I stood where I could still see the door. "We don't know what killed him, but it sure as hell wasn't drug dealers." Mom had thought it best that we not tell those who hadn't phased yet the details. But my siblings deserved the truth from me, especially if we were going to run the pack together when they phased.

"How do you know?" Jules asked.

"Because drug dealers can't rip throats out. His throat was ripped out, claw marks all over his body. And they'd strung him up in the trees like a puppet."

Jules gasped, swallowed hard, and put a hand to her throat as if to protect it. Ash and Maddox shared a look and grimace.

"When I said it was bad, I meant it. Couldn't have been a mountain lion. But there weren't any scents. That's the part that's hanging us. Uncle Jasper said that Tristan's pack had found a way to hide their scent. We never figured out how."

"Maybe Uncle Caden knows," Ash suggested.

Jules shook her head. "Don't you think he would have said something when he switched sides to help Mom? And _our _pack?" She shook her head again. "No, he doesn't know either."

"Well, back then, they had the Volturi. Maybe they were using the gifts of one of the Guard," Maddox said. "You think they could be back? For us?"

Well that was a disturbing thought. "If that's what this is, then what is Hunter? One of their guard dogs lulling me into a false sense of security?"

"That's what happened last time. Except Uncle Caden flipped sides," Ash pointed out.

"He wasn't a guard dog," I said, remembering the story. "The Children wouldn't work with the vampires now anyway. Caius is dead for a reason and Aro locked himself in his castle after that. Besides, Aro isn't the kind to sneak. When he attacks, he does it head on with the victim fully aware."

We all shared a look.

"So you don't think this is the Volturi?" Jules asked.

I shook my head. "No. It doesn't feel like vampires. This is about something else. The other night, after we came home from the murder scene, Hunter called me. She'd seen the local news and was worried the victim was me. But she said something that's still nagging me."

"What was it?" Maddox said.

"When I told her that it had been Chad, she asked me 'do they know _what _did it?'. Not 'who' but 'what'. It was like she _knew_ that whatever killed him wasn't human, and she didn't even hesitate when I told her there weren't any scents. She wasn't scared. Didn't even ask me if there was something that could do that. Someone not part of the supernatural world would have been at least wary. I mean, I know she studies myths and legends for a hobby, but still. You'd think there'd be a less than normal reaction when those myths and legends start to seem real. And either it's a really big coincidence that he dies the night of the day that he pushed himself on her, or she knows something she's not telling me."

Ash looked startled. "You think she's a suspect," he stated matter of fact.

"Not in the actual killing. She seemed genuinely surprised about seeing it on the news."

"Okay," Ash said, making a push away gesture. "Let's just think about this. If, _if_, she's involved, because this could still be one giant coincidence, then the question is, what is she doing here? She's the only thing we have right now to go on." He looked to me. "Will, this weekend, you need to work some serious magic on her. We're going to need answers fast. I know it must be hard because of the imprint. And I wish that it wasn't her, but-,"

I shook my head. "No, you're right. That was the whole reason I started this anyway. My imprinting has to come second behind the needs of the pack."

He nodded but I could see the pity and sympathy in his eyes.

Before I could tell them not to pity me, the door opened down the hall. Happy to be away from the conversation and their knowing expressions, I immediately moved for the room as Jenny and Mom came out. Jenny was staring in awe at a picture in her hands. Must have been an ultrasound photo.

I stopped in front of them. "So?"

Mom smiled up at me. "Everything seems perfect. The baby has a strong heartbeat."

Jenny put a hand to her stomach. "It's a boy," she whispered. "I'm having a boy."

"Congratulations," I said, grinning.

She looked up, still stunned. "I knew I was having a baby but now…it's really real."

Jules came up beside me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better now that I know he's fine," she said, rubbing her stomach. "Thank you for asking."

My sister grinned. "If you ever need to talk and don't want to go to this idiot," she said, elbowing me in the ribs, "you can come hang out with me."

"Thank you. You've all been really nice."

"Why wouldn't we be?" Ash asked from behind me.

Jenny's expression became guarded. "Chad. He was a terrible person. I tried to talk him into cleaning up, but he just wouldn't. And even that day, after you threatened him with the pack, he had a deal going down that he refused to cancel."

"Jenny," I said gently, "you do realize that it wasn't his suppliers who killed him, right?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, but that's what I told the police. I'm sticking to that story because they would have gotten him eventually anyway."

"Do you know who they were or what they looked like?" Maddox asked.

"Men I've never seen. Chad said they were from Seattle. I wouldn't recognize them if I saw them again. It was dark out and I was looking through our bedroom window."

"Wait, wait, wait," I said angrily, shaking my head. "They know where you live?"

Nodding, she took in a deep breath and sighed. "Yes. He didn't have a car so getting to Seattle would be difficult, but he had a cousin who lives there who made the connections."

I looked up to Mom, who was looking scared and worried. "We need to get a patrol set up around that house."

Eyes darting, Jenny looked between us, backing up away from us. "You think they'll come back?"

Mom looked at her. "It's a possibility. We've never had a drug problem on the rez. This is a first, and we're not going to take chances that they might come after you for any money Chad owes them. They may not even know he's dead. As far as I know, it's only been on the local channels."

Turning away, I pulled out my phone and called my cousin. When he picked up, I said, "Henry, I need you to listen to me."

"Okay. Go for it."

"I need you to put your protective detail somewhere else."

His hesitation radiated uneasiness. "Will, I can't do that without approval from Uncle Jake. You know that."

I growled in frustration. "Listen, I'll deal with Dad. Right now, we've got a pregnant female who might be in trouble. I can handle myself. Not to mention, Brayden and I are back on speaking terms. Please, Henry."

This time the silence was full or indecision. "What's the job?"

"Her name is Jenny. She was the girlfriend of the kid who died. Unfortunately, the bastard was also a drug dealer, which I'm sure you've been told. However, I just found out that his suppliers know where he lived. She was living with him before he died, so they know what she looks like."

"Okay, but what does that matter?"

"Henry, Chad owes them money…and he's dead. There's every chance they might go after her. We can't let that happen."

"Does she still live there?" I could hear the part of him that was protector start to come through. He would do this for me.

"She's moving back in with her grandmother, but that doesn't mean they won't know where to find her."

He sighed. "Alright. I'll talk to my group, but you better talk to your dad, Will. I won't get in trouble for this. Having two alphas is a bitch right now. I'm only going with this because she's pregnant."

I closed my eyes in relief. "Thank you, Henry. I'll call Dad as soon as I get off the phone with you. But could you do me another favor and put a female on her, too?"

"What? Why?"

Looking over at her, I could see the nervousness and fear in her eyes. "Because she's a female, Henry. Just do it."

"Alright, fine," he snapped. "But you know I hate putting females on security."

"Make it Aunt Morgan. She's tough enough."

He growled at me over the phone. "Will-,"

His resistance was starting to make me itch with irritation. It was insubordination and my wolf didn't like it. "Henry," I snapped, "just do what I tell you. We have females in the pack for a reason and we're going to utilize them for more than just making puppies. No more arguments. Just get it done and set up. Text me when you're ready."

I hung up. Turning around, there were six pairs of eyes on me. Grampa Carlisle had come out of the room to talk to Jenny. Now, they all stared at me, blinking in astonishment. Ignoring them, I called Dad.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked as I snapped out my greeting.

"I guess the alphaness is starting to come out. I don't like being questioned," I said, rotating my neck and shoulders trying to get rid of the tingling heat.

He chuckled. "Yeah, that's the alpha talking. So what's up?"

"I took Henry's security club off of me and gave them a new assignment."

I could practically hear my dad's confusion. "Excuse me? You did what?"

Gritting my teeth, I said, "Look, I have Brayden back on my side. I don't need the rest of them. Besides, we have a different problem." I went into the whole Jenny story one more time, and then my conversation with Henry. It was also getting irritating having to repeat myself, but I did it anyway.

When I was done, I could hear his chair creak as he let out a long, exasperated breath. "Alright. It was a good call, and I'll back it. You're doing well with the phasing, and you do have Brayden. Good job, son."

"Thanks."

"I really am proud of you, Will. You're coping so much better than I did."

"Thanks, Dad," I said again.

His chair creaked again. "Now, why don't you call Henry back to tell him?"

"Yeah sure."

"And then go phase," he ordered now. "I can hear the irritation in your voice."

"I planned on it. Promise."

"Good. Oh, and I know you have plans with Hunter next weekend, but don't make them for the whole weekend. You and I are going birthday shopping."

I frowned. "Dad, my birthday is tomorrow."

He chuckled. "I'm fully aware of the day you were born, Will. I was there on August 31st. It's just that this weekend is the bonfire, and I just figured out what I'm going to get you. But you have to go with me."

My frown deepened. He was going nuts. "Okay. I'll talk to her tonight to see what day we're going out."

"Good. Let me know."

"I will."

I hung up with him to then call Henry back. He wasn't ecstatic that Dad was supporting my orders, but he'd follow them anyway. He'd already called Aunt Morgan as I'd suggested. Apparently she'd love to help, leaving her boys with her mate so she could get a little pack action.

When I finally got off the phone with everyone, I turned to Maddox and tossed him my phone. "I need to go for a run."

He nodded in understanding.

I looked at Mom and Jenny. "The plans have been made. Don't get scared if you see wolves around your house, alright? They're there to protect you. Also, a female named Morgan will be available if you feel uncomfortable around the males."

Relief chased the surprise from her expression. "Thank you. All of you. It really means a lot."

With nothing left to say, I took off down the stairs and ran out the kitchen door. Behind one of the giant trees, I stripped and phased, feeling the muscles tighten and stretch. Man, it felt good. I shook out my coat.

"Will?"

I turned around. Grama Esme picked up my jeans and tied them to my ankle.

She smiled at me when she was done and rubbed between my eyes. "Just in case."

Leaning in, I snuffled into her hair as a thank you.

She laughed and then sent me off. "Go run, sweetie."

I took her advice and darted into the woods, knowing exactly where I was going. I didn't even have to think about it. My paws carried me through the woods, over creeks, meadows, and fallen trees. When I got down to the rez, I kept close to the edge of the woods and the beach. There were a few couples out on the hidden logs sucking face. They startled apart as I past them. But I didn't stop. I kept running until I came to a dirt driveway hidden by weeds and leaves. The only give away was the mailbox. Turning onto the dirt path, it felt like I ran forever before I came to the clearing where the small cabin was situated.

Hunter's Jeep was parked in front of it and she was getting groceries out of the back. Her blonde hair was down around her shoulders. As she bent over into the back seat, I tilted my head, watching how her jeans cupped her. Not even thinking about it, I moved out from the trees into the open and sat down to watch her. She was humming to herself and dancing a little as she moved. With two arms full of groceries, she turned around, opened her eyes and saw me.

Letting out a yelp, she dropped the bags and backed up, eyes wide. "Son of a-,"

Immediately, I ducked down, ears down, tail wagging a little. I forgot that I'd told her to be careful, that something was in the woods. And here I was, a giant ass dog staring at her. I let out a small whimper.

When she realized I wasn't attacking her, she calmed, slowly bending down to pick up the groceries. Her eyes narrowed on me as I scooted forward. "Will?"

I perked up, thumping my tail against the wet ground.

After putting the bags back in the car, she came over to me slowly, eyes wide as she studied me. "Holy crap. You're huge."

I snickered in a wolf chuckle.

She gave me a look. "You are such a guy. But honestly, I didn't think the pack wolves were so…big. No wonder natural wolves don't come around here. Good grief." When she got close enough, she hesitantly reached out. I stayed still and let her come to me. Even sitting down, I was nearly eye level with her. Her hands were soft and gentle against my fur, nails scratching the skin. It made me purr. She laughed. "Wow. This is so crazy."

Relieved that she wasn't scared of me, I licked her from chin to forehead. She pulled back, laughing and rubbing her face. "Really? That's your version of a hello kiss?" But then her eyes softened. "I suppose I should get used to it, huh?"

Yipping happily, I licked her again before darting into the woods to phase and change. I needed to kiss her with my human mouth, hold her to me with arms that could wrap around her.

"Will? Where are you going?"

Before she could climb through the foliage, I phased and pulled on my jeans.

"Wow," she said as I stepped out from the trees. "From giant wolf to hot shirtless boyfriend in- what?- five seconds. Impressive."

Chuckling, I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me, crushing my lips to hers. I'd missed her yesterday and today, and was excited to spend the weekend with her on the cliffs. She tasted like rain and chocolate.

When I pulled back, she took a shuddering breath. "Well then, it's good to see you, too."

Smiling, I nodded toward the car. "Need some help?"

"From you? Any day."

Together, we got the groceries in the house and put up in record time.

"So how was having two days off school?"

I shrugged, putting the milk in the fridge. "Got to hang out with my mom, just the two of us. It was nice. She helped me with some of my lit."

"She seems nice. I'm actually kind of excited to meet her."

I grinned at her over my shoulder. "She's great. You'll like her. I'm really glad you'll be there this weekend. Even if my dad did have to talk you into it."

Suddenly, she gripped my arm and spun me around. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pulled me down, crushing us together. The kiss was hot and open, catching me off guard. But I went with it anyway. I'd needed to see her since the other night with her phone call. Jumping up, she wrapped her legs around my waist, further surprising me. Her fingers dug into my hair as I wrapped my arms around her waist and moved so that I could sit her on the counter behind me. Her tongue darted out to touch mine. We both froze for a moment before a frenzied hunger had us clashing together, my fingers gripping and kneading the skin on her hips where it was bared above her jeans. Those long legs were still wrapped around me, locked over my ass. Moaning, she arched against me, her breasts rubbing over my bare chest. Her teeth came out to nip at my lips, which just turned me on even more.

God, she felt good here in my arms. I just wanted to stay right here, like this, until one or the other of us decided to take it another step forward. But I didn't. Pulling back, I broke the kiss and put my forehead to hers. For a long moment, we both just stayed quiet, relearning how to breathe.

"I'm sorry," she panted, her accent thicker.

"For what?" My hands were still gripping her hips. I just couldn't seem to let go. Didn't want to.

"I don't know. I just feel like I should apologize."

Even to my own ears, my chuckle was rough and deep. "Don't. I could seriously get used to that. But what was it for?"

Leaning back, her hand rubbing the nape of my neck, I could see her eyes stare up at me. "I've been worried about you, wanting to see you for two days and here you are."

I cupped her cheek, rubbing my thumb over the bone. "I told you, I'm fine."

Her nails teased the skin of my neck. "I know. But seeing is believing, you know."

Squeezing her waist gently, I said, "Well I'm yours this weekend and a day next weekend. Promise."

"What about the adults?"

My grin was all wolf. "Hunter, I'm turning eighteen. My parents already treat me like an adult. As long as I'm safe, they want me to have experiences. Not to mention, the adults don't stay all weekend. They'll stay the night tonight. But Saturday night and Sunday day belongs to the kids."

She gave me a heated look. "Pretty sure every kid wants your parents."

Laughing, I moved my fingers through her hair. "You're probably right."

She brought a finger up and looked at me sternly. "No sex."

I choked on my own spit. Gripping her finger, I positioned our hands so that our fingers were laced. "Sweetie, I know that. And not just because I want to wait for that perfect moment."

She frowned. "Then why not?" Her tone said that I better not be suggesting that I don't find her attractive enough to not want to sleep with her. Boy that was far off. I wanted her something fierce.

But talking about this always made me want to squirm even though sex was sex and everybody knew about it. However, the pack was a different conversation. I squeezed her hand and put her other one against my chest. "Feel my body heat?"

She nodded.

"That's everywhere. I run close to a hundred and ten. That means I can't…I can't use a condom." Dad had sat me, Ash, and Maddox down about a year ago to explain how things would work after we phased. It had been a slightly awkward conversation.

Her face went blank as she blinked at me. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Don't make me say it again," I complained.

She laughed. "You really can't…?"

I shook my head. "The latex would melt. And frankly just saying that is painful. It would hurt the female, too. Therefore, no sex until I'm sure."

Her fingertips tickled over my chest. "That's very responsible of you."

Letting out a shaky breath, I said, "Yeah, sure. But I like you, Hunter. Don't think that I don't. Especially after that kiss."

"You know, couples don't really talk about sex until a few months after they've been together."

Wrapping my arms around her, I sighed. "Yeah, well. I'm not normal. It's only fair that I'm honest with you about it."

She pressed her palms to my chest. "Well, then, I appreciate your honesty. But does that mean we can't have another make-out session? That was nice."

I laughed, feeling my chest tighten with pride. I'd never had a make-out session before so it was good to know that I wasn't a complete failure. "Nah, I think we're good on that. There's no way I can't not kiss you again."

Her hands moved up over my shoulders and into my hair. "Mmm, keep talking like that and I might decide to not give a damn about the condom thing."

She'd meant it as a joke, but I didn't laugh. I smiled a little. "That would be good for most other guys, but for me, I actually give a damn."

Her smile turned soft. "I know. That's the kind of guy you are. And that's what makes me like you so much. Most guys would take advantage of the new girl. But you've been great."

The sincerity in her voice made my chest tight with the knowledge that I wasn't just with her because of my imprint. I was with her to try to get information. If she wasn't involved in whatever was happening, I was going to have to tell her and feel guilty as all get out. No doubt she wouldn't want to be with me anymore, but I'd have to deal with that when it got here.

"Will?"

I shook myself out of my own head. "Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Yup. Just have a lot on my plate." My hands slid down to rest over her knees.

She frowned. "Did something else happen?"

Yet again, I went into the whole Jenny thing.

Leaning back against the wall, she kicked her legs out, brushing my thighs. "Wow. Is she okay?"

I nodded. "Apparently she and the baby are okay, but the pack needs to watch out for her for now."

"I'll say. It's a good thing she came forward. Otherwise, it could have gotten bad."

"Probably." Then something occurred to me. "What time is it?"

She looked over my shoulder. "Four-thirty. Why?"

Drumming my fingers on her knees I wiggled my eyebrows. "We should probably get up to my house."

"Why?" Unfortunately, her fingers had moved forward to play on the skin of my stomach above the waistband of my jeans.

The feeling made my muscles jerk involuntarily, but I kept my voice even. "_We,_" I said, rubbing my hands down her arms to take her hands, "have a party to get to. Pretty sure they're all setting up and have started cooking."

She gasped. "Oh my god! I totally forgot." Pushing me back, she hopped off the counter and ran out of the kitchen.

Frowning, I just stood there, wondering what just happened.

And then she popped back in. "I need a quick shower. And I might have an old shirt of my uncle's you can wear."

I looked down at myself and realized she was right. "Uh, yeah. Thanks. That's a good idea."

"Can you drive us up there or should I just ride you like a pony?"

Slowly looking up, I arched an eyebrow and blinked at her. "I'm sorry?"

She blushed and looked at the floor. "We can take my car." Then she darted off again. I chuckled and leaned against the counter, pinching the bridge of my nose, amused.

An hour later, I was driving her Jeep up to the turn off to my house in an undershirt and flannel long sleeve that had been her uncle's. Hunter was beside me, smoothing her hair down and then running her palms over her jeans. She'd thrown a bag of clothes into the back before climbing in beside me.

Reaching over, I grabbed her hand. "Nervous?"

"Little bit. I mean, at least I know Ash will be nice to me. Kind of worried about Jules and Piper."

"Don't be." I put her fingers to my lips. "I had a chat with both of them. I know you said that you wanted to handle it, but I live with them, so I kind of had to. Jules is okay, but Piper might still have some issues. Just ignore her. Stay with me tonight, and I promise nobody will bother you."

"I'm also meeting your mom."

I chuckled. "What's so wrong with that?"

She shrugged, her thumb stroking over my knuckles. "Nothing, really. It's just that I've heard moms can be protective of their baby boys. Especially if they don't like the girl."

"My mom is not like that," I said, pulling up in front of the house next to Dad's truck. "She's nice to everyone. Until, of course, someone pisses her off."

"And how would one piss her off?" she asked, staring at the front door.

"Oh you know, hurting one of us. Or someone she loves. Other than that she tries to remain objective about other people's business, including ours. She's like our stress stone. We go to her for therapy. She gives us hot chocolate, gives us encouragement, and sends us to bed. You know, the mom stuff."

Speaking of, the front door opened and my mother stepped out, holding a glass dish that held the hamburgers. She came down the porch and went to the SUV. Dad was stuffing the tents and other necessities into the back.

"Come on," I said, opening the door. When she didn't follow, I walked around and opened her door. Reaching in, I grabbed her hand and pulled her out. "Let's go."

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out and walked beside me. Her hands clutched my arm.

I tried not to grin at her cuteness as I moved toward the SUV. "Hey, Dad. You met Hunter, right?"

He moved out from the truck and turned to us, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Yeah." He grinned. "Hi, Hunter. It's good to see you again. Wasn't sure if you'd make it."

She smiled at him. "Yeah. I decided that it would be good to get out. Plus, you were right." She looked up at me. "He wouldn't have asked if he didn't want me to come."

"That is most certainly true. Will, I packed you a bag for the weekend." Mom came around to stand with Dad. Leaning forward, she held out her hand. "Hi. I'm Nessie Black."

Hunter shook her hand. "Hunter. It's lovely to meet you. Will speaks highly of you."

"Of course he does," Dad said. "He's a momma's boy."

I rolled my eyes while Hunter tried not to laugh.

"I noticed," she said.

"Uh-uh," I said, shaking my head. "Don't start that."

The three of them laughed. Great. They were bonding.

My siblings picked that moment to come out of the house as Piper and Brayden came over from around the lake. Piper's smile disappeared, turning into a mask of thinly veiled dislike. Brayden just shook his head and pulled her along with him. Jules froze for a second before bravely putting on a small smile. Ash and Maddox shared a look before following our sister down the steps.

Jules came over to us and waved awkwardly. "Hi, Hunter."

Despite my sister's threat, Hunter smiled openly. "Hi."

The only one who didn't greet her was, unsurprisingly, Piper. She just crossed her arms, pursed her lips, and glared out into the woods.

Mom and Dad shared a look that said "oh goody, teenager crap". Dad clapped and rubbed his palms together. "Shall we?"

Hunter and I shared a look. The next two nights were going to be very interesting.

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**Sooooo, what do we think? More drama this chapter. So it's starting! I don't foresee Jenny as a big character. She might get mentioned, but nothing huge. Please tell me what you think?! Love y'all! xoxoxoxoxoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**Holy bajeebles, Batman! I'm back! Woo hoo! I am _SSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO _sorry for being gone for so long. Those of you who messaged me, I tried to answer you. Unfortunately, I had to deal with family loss in July just before my birthday. Also, I've been diagnosed with tendinitis in my right wrist, so technically I'm not supposed to be typing. I apologize ahead of time for any typos. I've just been trying to get this chapter to you as quickly as possible. I really hope to get back in a normal updating groove, but I am going back to school this fall so just be warned. **

**And let me just say that I really love you guys. I mean, you've stuck with me even when you weren't sure I'd ever be back. How amazing is that? You humble me. Truly.**

**Alright. Without further adieu...**

***Disclaimer***

**Please Enjoy!**

* * *

**WillPOV**

So far, the party was great. Hunter was great. She stayed close to my side, meeting the pack and my family. My aunts had come home from their trip to be here. Aunt Alice had set up the large tents because it was supposed to rain. They were white with the flaps that swept down to the ground. The one over the bonfire had a giant hole cut out of the top with mesh over it so the fire could still vent. All around that massive tent, other small ones had been set up to cover the grills but were left open so the smoke had an out. The big speakers for the music were covered as well. And between all of those, people had started putting up their individual tents. Brayden's was next to mine. Jules, Piper, and Ava were all sharing one big one. The twins had set up with a group of their friends from school.

The food was amazing. There were several cakes and pies for dessert. I'd tried every one of them that wasn't vanilla. I couldn't stand vanilla. Sometimes it made my life hard, but not tonight.

Stuffed, we were sitting next to the bonfire, our backs to the logs. Hunter's hand was laced with mine, her head on my shoulder as we watched people dance, sing, or just chat.

"This is really nice," she said.

"Yeah," Piper said on my other side. "You should see the wedding bonfires. Now those are badass." She'd surprised me. Once we all got here, she'd shelved the attitude for the most part and had talked to Hunter, helping to introduce her to the pack and their families. They weren't bff's but at least she was civil.

"Really?" Hunter asked, leaning forward to look at her. "How are they different?"

Piper shrugged. "Well, if they're both pack members, we push them off the cliff so the ocean can christen them. And if it's not raining, we get to shoot off fireworks. If it is, we all strip down to dance in the moonlight and rain."

I snorted out a laugh and Jules spit water through her nose.

Hunter just blinked at her.

Piper chuckled. "I was kidding. About the stripping part. Although," she started thoughtfully.

Brayden glared at her. "Don't even think about it, Piper."

"What?" she asked innocently. "We're all animals."

"True," he said, "but that doesn't mean I want to see guys drool over my sister. That would seriously set me off. Not to mention I'd have nightmares the rest of my life."

Grinning, Piper reached over to pat his cheek. "Aww, you're so cute."

Scowling, he pushed her hand away. "Yeah, yeah. Just keep your clothes on and everyone will survive the weekend."

Hunter laughed into my shoulder while I chuckled.

"Will! Will!" A second later, blonde hair was bouncing in my face as a little body crashed into me. Parker's arms wrapped around my neck as she kissed my cheek. "Happy birthday!" There was chocolate all over her mouth and the tip of her nose.

I hugged her, laughing. "Thank you, Parker."

She curled up in my lap. "Daddy said I couldn't stay the night."

"That's probably for the best," I said pushing her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah but I wanna cliff jump," she pouted.

I looked over at Hunter but spoke to Parker. "Well we wouldn't be able to tonight anyway. Tell you what, it's supposed to warm up tomorrow. If you can talk your dad into bringing you back up, we can show Hunter how it's done."

Her face brightened. "Really?!" Then she looked over her shoulder at Hunter. "Are you Hunter? His girlfriend?"

Hunter looked up at me before smiling and nodding. "Yeah. I'm Hunter."

Frowning, Parker said, "You're prettier than I thought you'd be. Piper said you were an ugly hag."

We all leaned forward to look at Piper. She just shrugged.

Rolling my eyes, I leaned back.

Hunter chuckled. "Well thank you. You must be Parker."

Parker nodded happily. "Will told you about me?"

Reaching forward, Hunter pushed another lock of Parker's hair back. "Well of course he did. How could he not?"

Parker beamed. Leaning in, she whispered, "Piper's just jealous. But I like you. You're pretty and nice." She crawled from my lap into a surprised Hunter's. "And I can tell Will really likes you." Wrapping her arms around Hunter's neck, she leaned up and kissed her cheek. "Be careful with him, okay? He's like my big brother and I need him to stay happy. If he doesn't, he won't come hang out with me. And then I wouldn't be able to see Brayden either because Brayden always looks after Will. Please don't hurt my brothers." She cuddled down in Hunter's arms and watched the fire, content with her environment.

Hunter looked rattled, awkwardly holding her arms out as if she didn't know what to do with them. It was like she'd never been around an outgoing kid before. She probably hadn't having grown up an only child. Parker reached out and, gripping Hunter's wrists, pulled her arms around her. I could tell that the gesture affected Hunter much more than she was showing or than she thought it would.

Reaching over, I took her hand.

Still looking shocked, she looked up at me and blinked. Parker didn't seem to notice anything. She was watching everybody dance and talk around the fire.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

Chuckling, I leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Just be natural. Parker won't bite. She likes you."

"I don't know what to do with kids."

"It's okay. You're doing fine. Just relax."

It took a few minutes, but eventually the tension eased enough for her to awkwardly hold Parker. Brayden and I shared a look. He shrugged and shook his head before turning back to Jules. I'd been watching him tonight. He seemed calmer, less tense around my sister now that I knew about his imprinting on her. I suppose that as long as someone knew he was okay. Having to bottle that kind of information takes its toll. I knew the feeling and was glad I didn't have to hide it from him, the one person who was always beside me, who always had my back.

Out of nowhere, a plate of chocolate cake appeared between me and Hunter. Mom was standing there smiling. "Want anymore?"

I groaned and rubbed my stomach. "Oh no. Please. No more."

Hunter shook her head. "Oh, no, thank you, Mrs. Black. I am sufficiently stuffed."

Parker's eyes widened as she reached for the plate. "Ooo, I'll take it!"

I chuckled, taking the plate so she didn't drop it on Hunter. "Thanks, Mom."

"Don't tell Embry. For all he knows, this is for you."

"Scout's honor."

She kissed the top of my head, and then turned to Hunter. "Are you doing okay, sweetie?"

"Oh, yes. Thank you."

"My family didn't freak you out, did they? I asked them to try to give you some space since I assumed you know about us."

Hunter smiled thankfully. "They were great. Really."

The introductions had been interesting. Grampa Carlisle and Grama Esme had been their usual calm selves. Aunt Rosalie had sided with Piper and had been on the icy side of cold. Didn't surprise me any. The two of them had been close since I could remember. Uncle Emmett had pulled her into a giant bear hug and swung her around. Uncle Jasper had just nodded while I swear Aunt Alice had been mentally taking her measurements. I could tell that Grampa Edward had been reading her thoughts because of the slight frown between his eyebrows. Grama Bella had been perfect as usual just like my mother. Perfectly normal. But I knew that I'd have to talk to Grampa Edward when I got a moment alone with him so that I could pick his brain about Hunter's thoughts.

Mom smiled down at her. "Well, let me know if you need them to be peeled off of you, alright? We should be leaving soon."

Hunter nodded. "Again, thank you. So much."

"Of course." Mom patted her shoulder before moving off to Jules.

Hunter cleared her throat and went back to watching Parker scarf down her cake. More chocolate covered her face and hands.

I leaned over. "You okay?" I whispered.

She nodded slightly.

Uncle Embry ran up in front of us. A look of relief crossed his face as he saw his daughter. "There you are. I swear you need to stop running off. Gonna give your old man a heart attack."

Parker giggled. "You're not old, Daddy."

He crouched down. "Well thanks for that. You ready to go?"

As expected, Parker shook her head and cuddled more into an awkward Hunter. "No. I'm sitting with Hunter and eating chocolate cake."

His eyes flicked up to Hunter. "I can see that. I suppose your Aunt Nessie gave you that, didn't she?"

Parker pressed her lips together, a clear sign that she'd never tell even though the action answered the question.

He sighed. "I'm gonna have to have a talk with her. Now you'll be up all night." Reaching out, he motioned for her to go to him. "Come on, pipsqueak. Let's go home."

I could tell she was about to fight so I leaned in. "Hey, remember what I said about tomorrow?"

Poking out her lower lip, she nodded.

"Okay, well you need to go home to ask, alright? And get a lot of sleep."

Nodding enthusiastically, she crawled out of Hunter's lap and into her father's arms. Sometimes it was hard to believe that they were father and daughter. Parker was so light, like her mother. Pale skin, bright blonde hair, and green eyes. Nechole and Katie had darker skin and hair with hazel eyes. Parker's appearance matched how her personality was different than her sisters'. She was the oddball of the three of them.

Uncle Embry stood up with Parker in his arms. He looked down at me. "Happy birthday, kid."

"Thanks. But it's tomorrow and if Parker plays her cards right, you'll be back up here."

He rolled his eyes. "Fabulous." He kicked my foot. "Quit teaching her things."

I just grinned.

"Say goodnight, Parker."

Grinning, she waved at all of us and blew us kisses. "Love you guys! See you tomorrow. Will you be here, Hunter?"

Hunter didn't answer. I looked at her to see her frowning into the fire. Gently, I nudged her. She blinked, clearing her throat. "I'm sorry. What?"

Parker looked down at her. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

Hunter smiled a little. "Planning on it."

Parker grinned again. "Yay! Bye!"

We all waved as Uncle Embry carried her off.

Once they were out of sight, Hunter stood up rather suddenly.

"Hunter?" I asked, pushing myself up.

She shook her head, still looking rattled. "I just need a minute," she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Are you sure?"

Smiling slightly, she nodded. "Yeah." Leaning down, she pressed a small kiss to my lips before climbing over the logs and walking out of the tent.

I stared after her.

"What was that about?" Brayden leaned over and asked.

I shook my head and frowned. "I have no idea."

**HunterPOV**

Alone on the cliff, I shivered in the chill coming off the water even though the cold usually didn't bother me. All the cold air did was emphasize the chill inside me. Parker's warmth had left me feeling uncomfortably warm. Her absence left behind an icy frost. Even when I'd been a child, I'd never had that open care-free nature. I'd been suspicious and wary of everyone who came near me. Letting myself get close to people emotionally just didn't seem like a good way to stay safe. Even Melice didn't really know me all that well. He knew what I showed him, my strength. But he didn't know my weaknesses, and he never would. If he did, he'd discard me, and the pack would be free to torment me. Something I wasn't willing to let happen. I'd lied all my life, so lying for the rest of it shouldn't be so hard. Or so I thought.

Parker wanting to sit with me, even that small a thing, had affected me more than I thought possible. Will saw her as a little sister. Now I knew why. Just ten minutes with her and I was willing to protect her with my life. She was everything I'd ever craved being. Protected and safe. And the way she loved Will and he her was apparent and open. But with Melice here, she wasn't safe.

With the thought that something could happen to her, tears raced to the surface but I tried to hold them back. That kind of innocence was worth protecting.

A stick cracking behind me had me scrubbing my face.

Will sat next to me a moment later, hanging his legs over the cliff edge. "Hey."

I didn't say anything, just stared out over the choppy water.

His fingers brushed my hair behind my ear. "Hunter, what is it?"

The tears surfaced again and I choked them back. "Parker. She's something else."

He chuckled. "Yeah, she is. But why does it bother you?"

Looking over at him, I studied his features in the moonlight and the glow from the fires behind us. The copper in his black hair glowed and sparked, bringing out the light brown of his eyes. The fire danced over is tan skin, outlining the sharp planes of the muscles in his arms. He'd taken off the flannel shirt to sit there in the white tank I'd given him. He was beautiful but fierce in the light, looking like his father.

I wanted nothing more than to deny the implication, but I didn't. Shaking my head, I picked up a leaf from the ground and twisted it. "I don't know. Maybe because I'd never had that innocence, not even as a child. I'd always known how my parents died. And I was always jealous of other kids. Watching them with their parents and siblings. Don't get me wrong, I know my adoptive parents loved me. Of course I know that. But they never had any other children; they couldn't. I was their substitute. It was never said, but we all knew that's what it was. Parker is quite lovely." Looking up, I saw the faint glow of the stars through the thin clouds. "There's no tragedy here. There's a certain…lightheartedness to the air here. Death isn't violent; it's peaceful. You know, natural causes. I don't quite know what to do with that."

Reaching out, Will gripped my hand. "Was your life really that violent?"

I opened my mouth but snapped it shut. I was so perilously close to telling him what I was and where I actually grew up. Just ten minutes of tenderness and I was ready to give it all up. Instead, I kept my trap shut. "Not violent, per se. Just not this peaceful. We did a lot of moving. Most of the time it was quite sudden."

He squeezed my fingers. "I'm sorry. That must have been hard."

I shrugged. "I got used to it."

Smiling a little, Will lifted my fingers to his lips. "Well, I really hope that you'll end up staying for a while before going to off to college. Sounds like you need years' worth of rest."

His sincerity made the emotions bubble up once more, but I beat them back savagely. I, however, could not hold back what I said next. "How have you stayed single all this time? It can't be for lack of trying."

Chuckling, he dropped our clasped hands to his lap and stared out over the water. "Actually it was."

"What?"

"I've never dated before, Hunter. Ever. It just wasn't possible until now." Looking over at me, he reached over to brush some hair from my face. "There's just something special about you."

Affected by his touch more than I should be, I jerked back and snapped, "Why? Because you see me as a charity case?"

As I tried to stand up, he growled in a warning and yanked me back down. "I may not have ever been in a relationship before but I do have a sister. Don't start that crap with me. That wasn't how it sounded; and you know damn well that wasn't how I meant it. Now sit down and quit trying to push me away. It won't work. I can see right through that."

Staring at him and swallowing hard, I did as I was told. Will was an alpha. Maybe a baby alpha, but an alpha nonetheless. That kind of power was to be respected no matter if he was just a pawn in my game. He wasn't the one I wanted to hurt, so disrespecting him didn't gain me anything. But I also couldn't let his sincerity affect me. I _did_ have something to achieve here. Unfortunately, watching him now and feeling his warm skin against mine, I had a bad feeling that my plans were going to go awry eventually.

"I'm sorry," I said, gripping his hand.

"Don't be. Just don't do that with me, alright? I can see that Parker affected you. I just don't know why. I mean, you explained, but it's so hard for me to believe that a girl like you was shown a rough life. I don't like it, and I want you to know that here, you're safe." Reaching over, he lifted my chin so I had to look him in the eyes. They were soft and kind, but full of determination. "I won't ever let anything happen to you. Do you understand me?"

"Why?" When he frowned, I specified the question. "Why do all this for me? You know nothing about me and yet you're offering me the world. I don't understand."

Looking out over the water again, he took a deep breath that clouded up into the air. "I don't know. Like I said, there's just something about you. If I knew, I'd tell you."

The pungent scent of the lie wafted out from his skin. I could hear that his heartbeat had sped up slightly. Frowning, I stared at him. "You're lying to me. There is something that you're not telling me, isn't there?"

Startled, his eyes flew to mine before he chuckled. "I've always been a terrible liar when my heart's not in it. Look, Hunter, I can't tell you. Not right now. It's not the right time."

Well that piqued my interest. "Then when will be the right time?"

He shrugged. "I wish I knew."

At least that wasn't a lie.

The air stirred behind us. Will and I both whirled around to find his parents standing there. Nessie Black was beautiful in the moonlight with her copper hair curling down to her waist. Jacob was intimidating with his huge frame and muscle bulk. Next to his petite wife, he was massive. Nessie was tall but slim under her husband's arm.

"Mom, Dad," Will said. "What's up? Snooping on conversations now?"

Jacob chuckled. "Nah. We just wanted to let you know that we're gonna head back home."

"Oh, okay." He stood up to hug and kiss his mother. The love he had for her was there in the way he touched her. She was absolutely precious to him. If anything happened to her, I was fairly sure there was nothing on this planet to stop him from ripping apart the person who hurt her. That nice, calm demeanor would fade away under the viciousness of revenge. The same went for Jacob. The way he clutched her to his side said how protective he was of his wife. Despite having children, his mate was the top of his list of importance.

"You guys behave," Jacob said. He gave me a look over his son's shoulder. It was very clear that even though Nessie was top priority, his children still meant the world to him, and he'd have no problems eliminating any threat to them.

"Dad," Will complained. "We'll be fine. Promise."

I held up my hand and smiled. "Scout's honor."

"Uh-huh," Jacob said sarcastically.

Nessie laughed and elbowed her mate in the stomach. "Shush, Jacob." Then she hugged Will again before cupping his face in her hands. "Have a good time and stay safe. And watch over your brothers and sister."

"When do I not?"

"True." She kissed his check before coming to crouch next to me. I was surprised when she cupped my cheek and kissed the other. Leaning back, she smiled a very motherly smile. "Take care of him for me?"

All I could do was nod. Motherly gestures of affection had eluded me my entire life.

Somehow, she must have understood because as she stood up, she kissed my forehead before going back to her husband and son. I was frozen to the spot, watching them interact. Eventually, I had to turn away to rub the emotion from my eyes.

"Hunter, you okay?" Jacob asked.

I cleared my throat before nodding but didn't face them. "Yes. I'm fine. Thank you." I could practically smell their frowns as Will lowered his voice to tell them that my childhood probably hadn't been filled with loving gestures. Nessie's scent of sorrow reached me, clutching my heart. Jacob's anger at my supposed mistreatment brought out the scent of his paternal protectiveness. Probably the same he felt for his own daughter at the thought of someone not caring for her the way he did.

After they finished their goodbyes, Will came back over to me. Instead of sitting, he held his hand out. I frowned up at him.

He grinned crookedly. "Come on. No more moping. This is a party."

I hesitated just for a moment before I put my hand in his and let him pull me up to head back to the festivities.

**BraydenPOV**

"They've been gone for a while, haven't they?" Jules asked next to me, craning her neck in the direction Will and Hunter had gone. After a moment, she turned back, her lip between her teeth. "You think they're okay?"

Piper snorted. "Of course they are. They're probably sucking face. He's gotta reign her in and all that. If he's as good as every girl dreams he is, then he's got her hooked."

"Piper," I chided.

Jules threw a piece of bread at her.

Piper sneered. "Well what are your brilliant theories?"

"Parker," I answered. "The fact that Parker wanted to sit with her made her awkward for some reason."

"Yeah 'cause she's a cold-hearted-,"

"Piper!" Jules and I said at the same time.

My sister held up her hands. "Alright, alright. Geez."

Jules turned back to me with an exasperated expression which made me wonder if she knew about the imprint. I knew why I had a problem with Piper being so rude. Will was worried about Hunter. It was involuntary. He'd admitted to not being able to stay objective about her, but Piper didn't know about the imprint. I'd made sure not to tell her as did Will. It would only cause problems. But I wondered if he'd told Jules. He usually told her everything. Or she guessed and he confessed.

Piper threw the stick she'd been playing with into the fire and stood up. "You two are boring. Later."

When she was out of earshot, Jules turned to me. "What the hell is her problem?"

I shook my head. "She just really doesn't like Hunter. I talked to her the other night about Hunter being around more. Of course she wasn't happy about it and when I asked her if it had something to do with the crush she said no. It was more about protecting Will. She knows he didn't imprint on her so she said it's not jealousy."

"And you believe that?"

Shrugging, I picked up a pine needle. "Some of it's jealousy, but I really think she's getting over that. If it was only about that, she'd have let it go and brushed it off."

Beside me, Jules shivered and wrapped a blanket tighter around her shoulders. I wanted nothing more than to pull her against my body. I wanted to be the thing keeping her warm, not a stupid blanket. Mentally, I yelled at myself. This was just going to get harder and harder the longer I put it off.

"Bray?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think this is going to end well for Will?"

Looking up, I met her gaze. And then I looked around before leaning in and whispering, "You mean about his imprint?"

It wasn't a surprise when she nodded. Yep, he'd told her. "Honestly, I don't know. As it stands, we're all pretty suspicious of her, but we don't know why. Even your dad has a weird feeling about her. With all of us feeling this way, there's got to be something going on. We just don't know what. And Chad's death isn't helping things."

She shivered again but this time I didn't think because it was of the cold. "Will said it definitely wasn't an animal."

I shook my head. "At least not a natural one. I'd have believed it was if his body had been on the ground, but the way he was tied up? Not a chance." And then I couldn't help what I said next. I'd been worried ever since the other night. "Jules?"

"Hmm?" She raised her eyebrows but her eyes stayed on the fire.

"Are you okay? From the other night?"

Now she looked at me, aqua eyes lit up from the fire. They were cautious. "You're not talking about the night you and my brother found a dead body ripped up in the woods, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not."

She studied me for a long moment before turning back to the fire. "I'm okay. Really, I am. I was pushing you and you had every right to tell me to stop. So, I'm letting you be. Whatever there is that you need to keep from me or anybody else is your business. You have your reasons." Her eyes returned to mine. "I just hope they're good reasons. I saw your eyes that night, Brayden. You were in as much pain as I was. You heard me cry that night, didn't you?"

This time I nodded, swallowing hard.

She put her small hand on my arm. "Bray, it's okay. I'm okay. And I am going to not read too much into things the way I was. However, I want you to do something for me."

"Anything."

Before continuing, she took a deep breath. "Stop playing up the crush thing to keep other guys away from me."

Not what I was expecting, the air rushed out of my lungs and my heart plummeted. "What?"

The fire reflected the glassines of her eyes which were getting shinier. "There's nothing between us but friendship, right? Just the love of best friends. Then that's how we should act. Don't-don't say things to me that a boyfriend would say. Don't look at me like," she looked over at me, "like that. You confuse me. And honestly, I should have more guy friends. If I phase, I'll need an open mind for the imprint. I need to get over…whatever this is that I think I feel for you, okay? So back off on that front. Please."

All I could do was sit there and gape for a heartbeat before I managed to choke out, "Jules-,"

She stood up abruptly. "No, Brayden. I'm serious. I appreciate your protectiveness, but honestly, I have three brothers. I have a ton of that. What I need is a friend. A male friend. If things are too…whatever, awkward, with us now, then that male friend needs to be someone else. You can just go back to being my brother's best friend. It would hurt like hell, but it would hurt a lot less than it does right now."

Before I could say anything, she turned around and walked out of the tent toward the one she shared with my sister and Ava. On her way out, she bumped into Will and Hunter. Will tried to call after her, but either she didn't hear him or she ignored him. After she was out of sight, he turned back to me, eyebrows raised.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded as he climbed over the log and then turned to help Hunter over.

Gritting my teeth, I looked into the fire, unable to meet his eyes. "Nothing I really want to talk about." Viciously, I threw another stick into the flames. "So," I said turning back to them with a fake smile, "how are you liking the party?"

Will snorted. "It's the same every year."

I looked pointedly at Hunter. "Not this year."

She flushed, pressing her face into his shoulder.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess not." Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

All I wanted to do was scream.

**WillPOV**

According to my watch, it was two in the morning. People were settling down in their tents. Some couples were cuddled up around the dying bonfire either making out or talking to other couples. The adults had left which was surprising. They normally stayed the first night. Oh well. After they'd all left, the alcohol came out. Hunter and I had danced, her worried frown disappearing. Even Jules had come back out of her tent to party a little, but I could tell she avoided Brayden at all costs.

Hand in hand, I walked Hunter to the tent Dad had brought for her. It was situated close but not too close to mine. Stopping in front of it, I turned to her. "You'll be okay by yourself?"

Her smile was sweet. "Yes, Will. I'll be fine. Besides, you're not too far away."

"True," I conceded.

"Well, thank you for being a gentleman and walking me to my door. If I had a father, he'd be impressed." Going up on her toes, she pressed a kiss to the corner of my mouth. "Goodnight, Will."

Thinking that her father wouldn't be impressed with the thoughts running through my head about his daughter, I just went with, "Goodnight, Hunter. Come get me if you need anything, alright?"

"My hero," she whispered against my lips.

Rolling my eyes, I kissed her back.

Laughing, she pulled away and went into the tent, zipping it behind her. Once I knew that she was settled, I went back toward my tent. Brayden was set up next to me between me and Hunter. Jules, Ava, and Piper were set up on my other side. I stopped at Brayden's tent. The flap was partially unzipped. Ducking down, I found him sitting up, legs crossed. His elbows were resting on his knees, something held between his hands. It looked like an old picture. It was the expression on his face that had me worried. Longing was an understatement.

"Bray?"

Startled, he looked up at me.

"You okay, man?"

He had to clear his throat before he said, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

I put the fact that I didn't believe him into my expression. "Uh huh. You wanna tell me what happened with Jules earlier?"

"Not really."

Unzipping the flap, I stepped in and sat down next to him. "Honestly, Bray, that wasn't really a question."

I knew he didn't want to talk about it. He knew how I felt about him keeping the secret from Jules, and that's probably what this was about. Looking over his hands proved me right. It was a picture, creased down the middle as if he kept it in his wallet. It was of him and Jules after a flag football game. Both of them were covered in mud but smiling through it all, arms wrapped around each other. Her hair was in two braids framing her face. Bray's muddy head was resting on top of hers. If I hadn't known the circumstances, I would have said they were a couple.

Bray sighed. "I know you know about what happened the other night. I heard her crying from my house. Did she tell you?"

"I heard her talking to mom."

"Will, I don't want to hurt her. You know that."

"Then what happened?"

"She told me that she knew I was keeping something from her but hoped that I had good reasons for doing it." He paused, letting me know that what came next was the part that stressed him most. "And then she proceeded to tell me that if I couldn't start acting like just a friend that she'd need a new male friend. Apparently, I get to go back to being your best friend and pretending not to crush on her. Which I actually am crushing. Hell, I'm practically in love with her." Dropping the picture, he clapped his hands over his face and groaned. "Will, what am I going to do?"

I slapped the back of his head.

Jerking forward, he glared at me. "What was that for?"

"I told you what to do, dumbass. Tell her. Now why did she tell you to quit playing the crush?"

"She said that she needs to get over her feelings for me and learn to deal with the guys outside of us. Apparently, she needs to be open-minded in case she phases and imprints."

Picking up the picture and studying it, I said, "Dude, we both know you don't have to worry about that. It'll be you. And that's _if_ she phases. But ask yourself this, man. If she doesn't phase, are you really not going to tell her? You're going to wait _years_ to find out if she phases before you do? Seriously, man, tell her. Why are you holding back? You could be happy with her. Besides, you're making her miserable. Right now, I'm tolerating it, but if this gets worse..." I shook my head. "I'll beat the crap out of you. Remember that whole 'she's my sister' speech? Yeah, I'm invoking that right now. Like she said, you have your reasons, but they better be damn good reasons."

Before he could say anything else, I got up and went for my tent, leaving him with his picture. Stripping down to my boxers, I laid back on top of the open sleeping bag. No way was I crawling into one. Too hot. Putting my hands behind my head, I stared up at the top of the tent. The cliffs were quiet, most people bedding down for the night. Some whispers carried over the breeze and the crickets sang in the woods. It was a pretty night with no rain, perfect for running. But all I could think about was being caught between my sister and my best friend. Brayden was hurting Jules, and he knew it. At the same time, he was hurting with the knowledge. It would have been different if he didn't know or care what was happening. But he did care, and all I wanted was to know his reasons.

A stick cracking outside my tent had me pulling out of my thoughts. Frowning, I sat up a little only to see a silhouette outside the tent. It was distinctly female and when the zipper started moving, I expected to find Jules poking her head through. Instead, it was Hunter. Sitting up all the way, I watched as she came in and zipped up the tent behind her. Unfortunately, it was a small tent for two people and she was wearing some short shorts. Her body was close enough to me that I could see the bumps on her skin the cold brought on.

"Hunter," I hissed as my body reacted. Now I pulled the other half of the sleeping bag over my lap. "What are you doing?"

She turned around smiling, her hair mussed around her shoulders. She put a finger to her lips. "Shh, nobody saw me."

"But what are you doing?" I whispered as she went to her knees and scooted toward me.

Her hands were surprisingly warm on my shoulders while her legs straddled my thighs. "The adults are gone. And I wanted a better goodnight kiss."

Automatically my hands went to her hips. My body hardened even more when I realized that she was wearing only a flimsy t-shirt and those short shorts. No bra that I could detect as she moved against me. What the hell was she trying to do to me?

Grinning, she rested her elbows on my shoulders and put her hands in my hair as she bent over me, crushing her lips to mine. Her lips were flavored with strawberry, sweet and mouth-watering. Her fingers twined through my hair, tugging.

After a moment of enjoying the taste, some of my sense came back. I pulled away a little. "Hunter, what-?"

"Shh," she whispered again. Adjusting, she settled heavier over my thighs. Smooth hands came down to caress my temples and jaw. "I can't want to make out with my gorgeous boyfriend?"

I chuckled. "Well I didn't say that. It's just…uh, I didn't know you were like this."

"We all have our secrets."

"Clearly."

Sitting back, she studied me, moving her fingers over my skin. "I've never had normal, Will. I've had lovers, but nobody who actually cared about me. And I know that you and I don't really know each other except for the basics, but you've been so nice to me. All of you."

"Lovers?"

A brow quirked. "Out of that, that's what you took?"

I shrugged. "I'm a guy with a beautiful girl straddling his lap. It's good to know if I might have some guy wanting to bash my head in."

Her laugh was full-throated, deep and amused. She shook her head. "No, nothing like that. All in the past and none of them would care enough to come after me. Besides, you could take them. The son of an alpha? I'd bet on you any day."

Because I was a sap, I would describe her smile and attitude as radiant. She practically lit up the tent. Her blonde and auburn hair fanned out around her face, brushing my nose and cheeks. God, it was so hard to believe that she was my soul mate. She was absolutely gorgeous. And here. Dad had been right. I didn't know what it was like, not until it happened. Now I knew his tie to Mom and why he could barely keep his hands off of her. I hadn't seen Hunter for two days because of Chad's murder, and now that she was in front of me, I didn't want to let her go. She was mine. Period. We just had to get through this mess and I had to tell her about the imprint. I sympathized with Brayden, but Jules knew what imprinting was. Hunter didn't. She didn't really understand our world the way Jules did. Brayden had it easy.

Apparently I was thinking too much because she frowned a little. "Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Where'd you go?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I know that look." One of her fingers slid between my eyes. "It's that look that says you're here but not here."

I squeezed her hips. "Now don't go thinking you know me or anything.

A fake shocked expression screwed up her face. "I would never!"

Laughing, I lifted my lips up to hers. "Uh huh."

She laughed into the kiss. It was full and deep. Again, she tasted of cookies and strawberries, but also something else. If night could have a taste, this would have been it. Her body was soft and supple under my hands, curves in all the right places. This was the first time I'd ever been even vaguely intimate with a girl. It was new and exciting, but also strangely natural. Once I got past the initial shyness, instinct took over. Somehow, I knew how to touch her, how to kiss her. In experiment, I slid my hands up her sides, over her ribs, just under her breasts. She hissed into my mouth.

"No sex," she whispered roughly.

"I know."

Her hands slid down my neck and shoulders, over my chest. Nails scratched over my stomach, making the muscles convulse. The sensation sent me higher. Growling, I gripped the back of her head and rolled us so she was under me. Her hands went back up to my hair, keeping me pressed to her. Once she was sure I wasn't going anywhere, those hands moved down my back, nails sinking into my skin. When she got down to my lower back, she put pressure, pushing my hips down.

Which got my attention.

I pulled back, breathing hard.

Her eyes were closed as she licked her lips, chest heaving with her own heavy breathing.

"Sorry." My voice was little more than a hoarse whisper.

"Are you kidding? That was better than any sex I'd ever had. And all we did was kiss."

"I'm not sure whether to be humbled by that or sorry for the bad sex."

Still breathing hard, she smiled up at me. "Didn't really know it was bad until just now." She patted my chest. "Consider it a _huge_ compliment."

Laughing, I felt to my side, leaning up on my elbow beside her. "I guess I will."

Looking up at me, she put her palm to my cheek and jaw. "What did I ever do to get you into my life?"

Shrugging as best I could, I rubbed her wrist. "Right place, right time?"

"Probably," she said with a laugh.

And then she yawned. "I guess that was the goodnight kiss I was waiting for." Sitting up, she kissed my cheek and moved as if to get up.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Stay. Please."

"But-,"

"We both know the line. Besides, it's cold out and you don't have enough body heat to warm up the sleeping bags. And I know that you're at least chilled going by the goosebumps I saw on your legs when you first came in. I have enough body heat for the two of us."

She looked down at her legs. "You were staring at my legs?"

I snorted. "I am a guy. If I don't act like one every now and then, they'll take away my card. And you have nice legs. _And _you're my girlfriend."

An exaggerated thinking expression crossed her face. "True, true, true, and true." After a moment of studying me, she rolled over onto her side, her back to my chest.

I made sure a corner of the sleeping bag was between my hips and her ass. Yes, I was guy, but it was just common courtesy when we both knew sex was off the table for a while. Bundling up another sleeping bag, I tucked it up under our heads as Hunter reached back to pull my arm around her. Intertwining our fingers, she snuggled down while I stretched my other arm out under her head.

It was amazing how complete this felt, how content I was. It was easy to fall asleep to the scent of her shampoo.

As I fell down into sleep, however, something nagged at the part of my brain that was still awake. Unfortunately, I couldn't keep hold of it as I slipped into the darkness.

**JulesPOV**

A loud pounding dragged me out whatever nightmare I was having, so I was slightly grateful for it. Groaning, I lifted my hand to my eyes. "God, they're starting early."

"Early?" Piper said, sounding more awake than she should. "Jules, it's noon. They've fired up the grills again."

Cracking an eyelid, I looked over at her. "Noon?"

She nodded, finishing up tying her boots. "Noon, my friend." She slapped my shin as she moved for the opening. "Up, up, up. Time to party."

Groaning again, I squinched my eyes shut before opening them and staring at the "roof". More pounding sounded and I realized that it was music.

"Oh, hey, Ava," Piper said outside. "Ooo, bacon. Thanks."

Bacon? I sat up as Ava ducked into the tent with a plate piled high with the stuff.

"Hey. I brought you some before all the guys pigged out."

Stretching my neck and back, I shook off the rest of the sleep. "My hero. How many did you have to slay?"

She grinned. "A few. Nobody will notice."

Biting into a strip was pure heaven. But what I wouldn't give for a glass of blood.

"Oh," Ava said, reaching behind her. She came back with a bottle of the good stuff. "Brayden gave this to me on the way back. He said you probably wouldn't want to see him, but didn't' say why. Everything okay?"

Sighing, I took the bottle from her and stared at it. A sign of how well he knew me. "No. I'm pushing him away," I confessed before taking a large gulp of deer blood. It helped to wake me up even more.

"What? Why?" Pushing her hair behind her ear, she sat down next to me, picking up her own strip of bacon.

I took another swallow before answering her. "It may have been a mistake. But honestly, Ava, I'm so confused. The way he acts…it's not just friendship. And then he says it is, that he's just pretending the crush to keep other guys off me. I know he's keeping something from me because I asked him about it the other night."

She chewed thoughtfully. "And? What did he say?"

"I asked him if he'd imprinted on me, would he tell me. And if he had imprinted, why didn't he tell me. All he said was that he couldn't, whatever that means."

"Do you really think that what you feel for him is more than just friendship? I mean, he is your best male friend, Jules."

I sighed again. "I know. But it's so hard to explain how I feel, how I see him." Turning to her, I begged her, "_Did_ I make a mistake? I was kind of harsh last night."

Reaching over, she wrapped her arm around my shoulders and rested her head against mine. "I think the question is, could you really push him out of your life? He's so much a part of it that it would seem hard to completely cut him off. Not to mention the pack? If you phase…"

Of course she was right. "I guess I should apologize, huh? Think he'll forgive me?"

She gave me a look. "Uh yeah. It's Brayden we're talking about."

"True," I conceded.

After finishing breakfast and the blood, I worked on getting dressed. It was warmer today than it was yesterday, the sun peeking through the moving clouds. The music got louder as more and more voices joined the crowd. I was just buttoning up my jeans when Piper poked her head in.

"Uh guys, I think Hunter is missing. I can't find her."

"Is she with Will?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Will's tent is still zipped up. He's still asleep."

"Why were you looking for her?" Ava asked, moving toward the opening. I followed her out and stretched even more once I was able to get some open space.

Piper shrugged nonchalantly. "Just checking on her. I'm suspicious, remember?"

I sighed, trying not to roll my eyes. "Maybe she went into town to pee. I could use a bathroom right about now. Will did drive her Jeep over here."

She shook her head. "I checked. Still there and the hood is still cold."

Shivering in the breeze, I really had to reel in my irritation with her. She was like a terrier with a bone. "Good grief, Piper, maybe she's mingling or something. Give it up."

Piper gave me a look. "Fine. When something happens and it's her fault, don't say I didn't warn you."

"I won't. In fact, I'll even roll out the red carpet for you to say 'I told you so'. Sound good?" Shaking my head, I started for Will's tent.

Piper and Ava followed me.

"Guys, can we please not fight about this?" Ava begged. "Honestly, Piper, we get that you don't like her. We hear you that your gut thinks she's a lying snake. Maybe the rest of us have suspicions, too, but we're letting Will take the wheel on this one. He knows how you feel, how all of us feel. He's even suspicious over her. It's not like we're not listening to you. Please."

Behind me, I could hear Piper sigh. Ava was always the logical one of the three of us. She rarely copped an attitude and almost always knew how to calm someone down. Will's tent was only a few steps from ours, so when I got to it, Ava and Piper held back.

"Will?" I said over the music and chatter. "Will!" I banged on the top of the tent, like that did any good. "Time to wake up. It's noon."

When he didn't answer, I sighed and went for the zipper, praying that he wasn't sprawled out naked. Once it was undone enough for me to stick my head in, I did. "Will…"and then I got a look at what was actually sprawled out in front of my eyes. "Oh my god."

"What?" Ava asked nervously.

Looking over my shoulder, I said, "I can safely say that I know where Hunter is."

Their eyes widened and jaws dropped.

Turning back into the opening, I stared at my brother entangled with the blonde. He actually was on his back, one hand on his chest. The other side of his chest was being used as a pillow by Hunter's head. One of her legs was thrown over his thigh. His other arm was wrapped around her, hand resting on her hip. Watching them sleep, I could honestly say they were cute together. And in that moment, I really hoped everything worked out for them. Will deserved to be allowed to have his soul mate. And from hearing Hunter's story, true or not, she deserved some solid ground under her, someone to care for her. Yes, I had my suspicions, but there was always forgiveness, and I was willing to forgive her for any misgivings as long as she kept my brother happy. So I wouldn't let finding them like this seem like a big deal.

Clearing my throat, I raised my voice. "Rise and shine, guys!"

Hunter frowned and buried her face into my brother's chest, but Will woke up. Eyes still closed, he scrunched up his face and brought his other hand up to rub his eyes. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Noon."

"Seriously?"

"Wish I was kidding. Just woke up myself. Ava saved us some bacon."

Now they both woke up. Hunter moved her head enough that she could stare at me through her hair. Will opened his eyes and looked at me expectantly. "Bacon?" they both asked at the same time.

Chuckling, I nodded. "Yeah. Hey, Hunter, it's warm out here right now, but people are awake. Would you like me to bring your bag over here?" I asked, pointedly looking at her shorts and t-shirt.

She sat up and looked down at herself, and then flushed. She nodded. "If you don't mind, that would be great."

"Sure, not a problem. I'll also bring food. Once you eat, I can take you to my house to clean up and use the bathroom."

While Will gave me a suspicious look, Hunter grinned. "You're a gem. Thanks."

I shrugged at Will but grinned back at Hunter. "Sure, I'll be right back." After zipping them back in, I went to grab her bag and the plate of food. There was also some sausage under the pile of bacon that I hadn't seen. I managed to grab a piece with my teeth. When I got to the tent, I kicked it to let them know I was there. Hunter opened it a moment later. She took the plate and bag before zipping them back in. Ava and Piper had gone off to talk to the twins, who were just emerging from their own tent.

A few minutes later, Will came out buttoning up his jeans. His white tank was shoved up under his chin, showcasing his new six pack. Several girls walking by were drooling on their chins even after he hastily pulled the shirt down.

"Move along, ladies," I said irritably. "He's taken."

"Thanks," he said sheepishly as they gave me dirty looks and moved on.

"No problem." I tucked my hands into my pockets. "So-,"

"We didn't do anything."

I held up a hand. "I know."

He frowned. "You do?"

I gave him a look. "Duh. I'm your sister. Trust me, I'll know when you finally tango. You can't hide stuff from me even though you think you can."

He choked out a laugh. "Yeah I guess not. So, why are you suddenly being so helpful and nice to her?"

Looking from him to the tent, I pulled him further away so she wouldn't hear me. "Look, no matter what happens," I said with meaning, "if everything works out, she'll end up my sister-in-law. If she and I don't get along, that could cause problems for the two of you, and I want you happy. I know it's hard for you to be objective with her right now, but I will do my best to be nice to her, to watch over her. And I'll talk to Piper. If anyone can get her to chill, it's either me or Brayden. Maybe you."

For a moment, all he did was stare down at me as if he'd never seen me before. "Thank you, Jules. That really means a lot to me."

I smiled. "Well, you are my big brother. And she's…you know." Moving forward, I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek to his chest. "I love you, and I would do anything for you. I really want this to work out for you."

He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. "I love you, too."

Leaning back, I grinned up at him. "Also, happy birthday," I sang.

He chuckled. "Thanks."

"Yeah, happy birthday, man." Brayden was beside us a second later. He was grinning up at his best friend.

They clapped palms.

"Hey, Brayden."

He looked surprised that I'd spoken to him. And then confused. "Um, hi."

Since I was sure that he'd told Will what was going on, I just said, "Uh, can we talk later? Like, when I get back?" in front of my brother.

Brayden's eyebrows went up. "Sure. I guess. Where are you going?"

"To the house. I'm gonna take Hunter. You know, bathroom and to clean up a little."

"Right, right. What about Piper and Ava?"

"I'm going down with Ava," Piper said, coming up to us. "It's best if I detach from the situation a little. Advice from Ash." Leaning over, she kissed my cheek. "Love you, chica. We'll see ya later, okay?"

I frowned a little at her new and abrupt attitude, but didn't question it. I kissed her cheek back. "Sure. Do you need anything from your house?"

She shook her head. "Nah, nothing I can't borrow from Ava."

Ava and Piper took off after that. The three of us just stared after Piper with identical frowns.

It was Brayden who spoke first. "Pretty sure your brother is a miracle worker."

A loud laugh had us turning around. Hunter was walking up with Ash and Maddox on either side of her. She and Ash were laughing at something Dox had just said. Not surprising.

When they got to us, I asked, "So, you ready?"

Hazel eyes sparkling, she nodded. "Definitely." Then she turned to Will and went up on her toes to kiss him. "See you in a bit?"

The boys all shared a frown before looking at me questioningly. I shook my head.

He returned the kiss and nodded. "Absolutely. We might be cliff jumping today so if you didn't bring a suit, see if Jules will let you borrow one."

"I've got one in the Jeep." She kissed him one more time before turning her smile on me. "Shall we?"

I nodded as I waved to the guys. "We'll be back."

Five minutes later, we were in Hunter's Jeep, pulling a K turn and heading down the dirt road. She'd let me drive since I knew the roads better.

After a few beats of silence, she put her face in her hands. "I am so embarrassed."

"Why?" I asked as I turned onto the paved road.

"Earlier. The way you found us. I mean, Will and I…we only just started seeing each other. Only been on one date. And then you find us all tangled up like that."

I scoffed. "Honestly, don't worry about it."

I could feel her wide eyes on me. "Really? Why? I figured you would have ripped into me the moment we were alone."

Looking over at her every now and then, I explained. "Look, I'm still protective. He's my big brother. The kid doesn't worry about himself. He's too busy being focused on everyone else, so yeah, I'm protective. My threat to you the other day still stands. However, in the pack, relationships happen fast, like really fast. And when a wolf feels that…instant attraction, we tend to trust it. I don't know why you're with my brother, but I know why he's with you. And that's enough for me. All I ask is that you not hurt him. Please. If your intentions aren't good toward him, and you know that this isn't going to last, please end it now. It would be better for everyone in the long run. As a wolf, he's in it for the long haul."

Her stare made me want to shift in my seat. "Are you saying that I'm it for him?"

Damn. I didn't want to give it away. The imprint speech was Will's to give her. I had no right to go into that. "Honestly, there could be someone else out there for him. But that insta-attraction is something we wolves don't really question because it's pure instinct. And it's one that hasn't led a wolf astray, at least none that I know of. If you want something with him, don't be afraid to trust him. With anything." I looked over at her. "Do you understand? If there's anything that you need to tell him, anything about your past or who you are, then do it. He'll understand. I can promise you that. If there's one person on this planet who will accept you for who you are and any sins you may carry, it's him."

Beside me, she went quiet and stayed that way for a few miles until I turned onto the drive that led up past the Cullen house and on toward my house. I heard her swallow hard. "Do you think there's anything he wouldn't forgive?"

My answer was immediate. "No. Nothing."

She lapsed back into silence.

**WillPOV**

This was a strange day. First, Jules's changed attitude and then Piper's. I'd asked Ash what he'd said to her. All he said was that he'd made it clear we were all in her corner but that I had to be the one to take care of it since I was closest to the situation. There was no reason for her to be nasty and if she had to, she needed to detach from the situation. My brother the psychiatrist.

Right now, since the girls were away, I sat around the reignited bonfire with a lot of the guys and their girls, tossing back a beer and a couple burgers. People had practically lined up to tell me happy birthday. Some even called me alpha.

What I wasn't expecting was the gentle tap on my shoulder. The circle went a little quiet. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Jenny. Choking down my drink, I stood up and put my stuff on the log.

"Jenny, what are you doing here? I mean, not that you weren't invited. The whole rez was. I just didn't expect to see you here."

She smiled gently, wrapping her sweater tighter against her. "I know. It's okay. And I didn't want to pull you away. Just wanted to say happy birthday. I was on my way to see Carlisle and thought I'd stop by."

I could hear the group behind me whispering about her and Chad. Gently taking her arm, I pulled her away from them. "Thank you, Jenny. Really. Is everything okay?" I asked pointedly.

She understood and nodded. "Yes, of course. I just had some questions and he said he'd be happy to answer them for me. I didn't want to do it over the phone."

Frowning, I looked toward the "parking area". "Are you walking?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Don't have a car."

I really didn't like that. At all. Not with something in the woods. Even if she stayed on the paved road, it could grab her.

Her small hand touched my arm. "It's okay. I'll be fine. I heard walking is good for both baby and mom."

Moving her further away from the group, I lowered my voice. "Jenny, that's dangerous. You do remember that there's something in the woods, don't you? And what it did to…you know?"

Her laugh was derisive. "And what am I supposed to do? I can't afford a car and I don't even have my license."

"Call. Us. I told you that you could for whatever you needed."

"Will, I am not going to call you for every little thing."

"And I'm not saying you have to, but you walking through the woods is one of the occasions that you should."

She scoffed. "I don't want to inconvenience anyone."

God, she was as annoying and stubborn as my own sister.

Before I could say anything else, Brayden popped up beside me, grinning that grin he used on people outside our circle. "Hey, sorry. I overheard the convo. Jenny, I can take you the rest of the way. I need to stop at my place anyway. It's right next to Will's."

Now she gave us both a look. "Wolf hearing?"

Brayden just grinned and shrugged.

I said, "He's taking you. End of story."

She sighed. "Fine. Whatever you say."

"That's the spirit."

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she moved past us toward the cars. Brayden and I shared a look.

"I wonder why she didn't phase," he said. "She's as stubborn as one of our females."

"Amen to that. Did you really need to go to your house?"

He shrugged. "I'm sure I can find something I forgot."

Laughing, I clapped his shoulder. "Thanks."

He gave me a salute before taking off after her. On his way through the cars, I heard him greet Uncle Embry and all his girls. Parker ran through the cars and crowd of people. Her blonde hair was braided down her back today, face glowing.

"Will! Will! Daddy said yes!"

I was ready and braced for it when she jumped into my arms. I'd already changed into my swim trunks since Hunter wasn't in the tent anymore. Grabbing up Parker, I hefted her in my arms. She wrapped her arms around my neck and planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Hey, squirt. So you talked him into it, huh?"

She nodded excitedly. "Uh huh. And Momma brought the video camera."

"Of course she did."

Her sisters came up beside me a second later. I could see that they also had bathing suits on under their clothes.

"Hey, Cole. Hey, Katie."

To my surprise, they both grinned at me.

"Hey, Will," Nechole said. "Um, I wanted to apologize for what I said the other day. Dad had the 'wolf talk' with me after you left. I didn't know. I'm sorry."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. She's your mom. I'd have been protective and a snotty brat, too, if it had been mine. No worries."

She grinned. "Thanks. Happy birthday." She hugged me the best she could with her sister wrapped around me.

Katie hugged me next. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks, guys. If you're hungry, there are more burgers and stuff over on the tables."

"Ooo, more cake?" Parker asked.

I laughed. "Of course there's more cake. What do you take me for?"

"Yay!"

"Have you eaten lunch yet, though?"

Now she pouted. "No."

I gave her a look. "Then guess what comes first?"

Grumbling, she squirmed out of my arms to go with her sisters to get some grub. I was shaking my head and laughing when a heavy hand landed on my shoulder. It was Uncle Embry.

"Thanks for not spoiling her," he said.

I shrugged. "The kid can't survive on cake the rest of her life."

Aunt Tricia came forward, grinning, to hug me. "Happy birthday, kiddo."

I hugged her back. Thankfully, the scars had vanished from her skin. "Thanks."

"So," she said expectantly.

I shared a confused look with Uncle Embry. "So what?"

She playfully punched me. "I heard you have a girlfriend. Does that mean someone…?" Her question was open-ended but full of meaning.

I shared another look with Uncle Embry. No doubt he knew the suspicions about Hunter. But apparently, he hadn't shared them with his wife. He gave me a look saying that it was up to me.

I really didn't want to talk about this or lying to my aunt. If I even could. Her type of werewolf was able to detect lies better than mine. But I went with the lie anyway. "If I'd imprinted, don't you think Mom would have spread it like wildfire?"

She frowned. "Yeah but-,"

I touched her shoulder. "Consider it an experiment. Honestly, she's new in town and there's a bit of suspicion about her. I'm just keeping her close to keep an eye on her. Mom and Dad know about it. As do Jules, the twins, basically our circle. We're just making sure she checks out."

"But what if you fall for her?"

"Then that's on me and I'll deal with it." God, this lying stuff came so naturally. This must be what they call diplomatic.

Aunt Tricia shook her head. "You are just like your parents."

She made it sound like a bad and good thing at the same time.

I quirked an eyebrow. "How so?"

"Self-sacrificing," Uncle Embry answered for her. "That answer sounds exactly like something Nessie and Jacob would say."

Wanting to grin like an idiot, I just shrugged. "Yeah well, I learn by example."

Uncle Embry put a hand on my shoulder. "No, son. That's what an alpha would say. And do. Regardless of how many times he saw his father do it."

Pride and respect was there in his eyes.

"Thanks."

Parker and her sisters came back just in time. She had a plate with a hotdog covered in chili, no bun, and a hamburger piled with pickles and tomato. I grinned as she licked some of the extra chili off the plate.

"Will?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Hunter? And Jules? And Piper? And Ava?"

Chuckling, I said, "They had to go to their houses for a few minutes. Girl stuff is what I was told. They should be back by the time we're ready to cliff jump." Gripping her shoulders, I turned her back around to head for the bonfire tent. "For now, you need to eat your lunch."

My aunt and uncle excused themselves to go get their own plates of food. Katie and Nechole followed us. My plate and bottle were still where I left them, but I threw the beer bottle in the trash and went for a coke.

"Where's Brayden?" Parker asked, sitting next to me.

"He also went back to his house for a second."

Nodding, she chewed happily for a second before her face lit up. "Ooo, s'mores! And cake." She turned to me. "You think he could make cake s'mores?"

Choking on my drink, I laughed. "I'm sure he would try for you."

"Awesome!"

For another thirty minutes or so, we all sat there talking and laughing about pack stuff and whatnot. Eventually, the girls showed back up, each getting their own food. When Hunter was done with hers, Parker climbed into her lap again. This time, Hunter reacted better, probably because Parker's parents were close. Every now and then I would catch Uncle Embry's wary glance toward her, but he was still civil. Piper had calmed down and even talked with Hunter about the proper techniques of cliff jumping. Brayden took a little longer to get back because of Jenny. She'd had to ask her questions and then he'd refused to let her walk home. He came back saying it really was a wonder she'd never phased. She'd nearly taken his head off. He managed to eat in record time. Parker was getting restless for her first jump. Once he was done, he promised to try the cake s'mores later after we all had our fun.

A few minutes after that, Parker and I were standing at the edge of the cliff with everyone else. I did for her what I'd done for Hunter. Parker stood on my feet and held my hands as she leaned out over the edge. Uncle Embry hovered nearby, which was understandable.

"It's so pretty," she said.

"Are you ready?"

She nodded.

"Alright, we gotta go lower down." We turned around. Hunter was behind me. "I'll be back up for you, okay?"

Grinning, she nodded. "Have fun." Then she kissed my cheek.

Not too many people could fit on the lower ledge. Jules, Brayden, and the twins went with me while I carried Parker. Aunt Tricia had gone to park out on the road so that she could record Parker's first time cliff jumping. As we went further out, I could feel Parker tremble. It was customary to be nervous on your first time. Which was why most first-timers jumped with the wolves. We could handle the beat of the waves as well as dragging someone to the shore of First Beach. Thankfully, the water was calm today. From the road, Aunt Tricia waved, letting us know she was ready. Parker gripped my neck hard and wrapped her legs around my middle.

"You ready?"

Swallowing hard, she nodded, still looking over the edge.

"We don't have to do this if you're not."

Looking up, she narrowed her eyes. "Just jump, dork."

Laughing, I looked down the line at my siblings. "On the count of three. One…two…three!"

Gripping Parker, I jumped with all the strength I had to push away from the cliff.

**HunterPOV**

Laying belly down on the cliff edge, I looked down on the heads of Will and the others. Parker was nervous about her jump, but even I knew she was in good hands. Will would never let anything happen to her. On his count of three, they all jumped. Parker screamed all the way down but managed to grab her nose and hold her breath just before they hit. I couldn't help but laugh and smile as they all surfaced, likewise laughing. Not surprisingly, Parker wanted to go again. She rode Will's back all the way to shore. He carried her like she weighed little more than a feather.

Movement beside me had me looking up. Embry Call sat next to me, crossing his legs.

"So," he said, clearing his throat. "You inherited the old Jamison house, huh?"

Rolling over, I sat up and mirrored him, crossing my own legs. "Yes, sir."

"How are you liking the area?"

"I'm beginning to understand what's so beautiful about it." And honestly, I was. Last night had opened my eyes to something I'd never experienced before. Tenderness. Nessie, Parker, Will. They'd all shown me kindness even when I'd shown weakness. And last night, in the tent, I'd actually given my back to Will. No alpha female would ever dare to do that to an alpha male. Not unless they were true mates. And even then, the aggression of the alpha male played a huge part in how the female acted around him. I'd never once given my back to Melice. I didn't trust him. But last night had been automatic. I hadn't thought about it until after he'd been curled around me. And it was then that I'd realized I felt safe with him, weaknesses and all. Jules's words today had hit a nerve when she'd said there was nothing he wouldn't forgive. Was it really possible that I could love this place? Love Will? I'd only known him a week or so, but somehow, I felt safe with him. Of course, he thought I was human. If I stayed around, he'd learn otherwise. I was powerful, hence the reason he and the others didn't already know, but the full moon could sway even me if I wasn't concentrating hard enough. And around Will? I lost a few IQ points when he touched me.

He smiled a small smile. "Look, I know that it's not my business, but Will is like family to me, and-,"

I held a hand up. "It's okay. I know. He's never had a girlfriend and it seems that everybody is worried over him."

For a long moment, he studied me. "Do you really understand what he is? And the enormity of him being with you?"

Now I looked over at him. "Jules said it had something to do with instinct and an instant attraction."

His eyes became wary and I knew he was going to pick his words wisely. There was something about the mating habits of the pack that I was missing. Will, Jules, and now Embry kept tip-toeing the subject. He nodded. "Yeah, something like that. Jules has always been good at describing things like that, things that a lot of people wouldn't understand."

I was just about ask if there was more to it when I felt someone come up behind us.

"Embry, what are you doing up here?" a woman asked.

We both turned. A Quileute woman was approaching us and who I assumed was her mate not far behind. Immediately, I sensed that he wasn't part of Jacob's pack, but Walker's.

Beside me, Embry shrugged. "Oh you know. Waiting for my youngest to get back up here from her first cliff jump."

The woman laughed. "Ah. Freaking out?"

"How'd you guess?"

"I was the same way when Gage first jumped. Still terrifies me."

When Embry stood up, I moved with him. Both the woman and man looked at me as if they'd just realized I was there. The woman smiled, but the guy stared and frowned, studying me.

Embry looked back at me. "Well, Will's not here to make intros so I guess I will. Hunter, this is Leah and her mate, Caden. Guys, this is Hunter. She inherited the old Jamison house and is dating our young alpha."

Leah lit up. "So this is Hunter. I was wondering. It's nice to meet you."

Reaching out, we shook hands. "You, too. You're Gage's mother, right?"

She grinned. "Yeah, you've met him?"

"School. Briefly."

The man, Caden, stepped forward, hand out. When I took it, the frown deepened just a touch and his amber eyes narrowed. "Have we met before?" he asked in a think English accent.

I shook my head. "Not that I'm aware of," I said, keeping my own accent in check. "I just moved here in April but spent the summer months in California."

"Where did you say you were from?"

"England, originally. But I was adopted and grew up in Canada." Must stick with the story. With that accent, he'd be able to detect the little bit of mine that I couldn't hide.

"I swear you look familiar."

Leah swatted her mate's arm. "Caden, leave her alone."

He dropped it, but still stared at me. Luckily, it didn't anymore awkward because in the next moment, Parker was running toward us, a huge grin on her face. "Daddy! Daddy!"

Embry braced himself and swung her up into his arms, kissing her temple. "How was it?"

"Awesome! I wanna go again but Will said he's gotta take Hunter because he promised her a jump."

"That's right. Gotta take turns. Will can't be everywhere at once. You have to share him."

The little girl turned to me. "Well, duh, Dad. She is his girlfriend. She's the only one I'll share with." She grinned at me as she said it.

I grinned back, feeling warm at her words. "And you're the only one I'll share with."

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?" Will asked, walking up to us with a towel wrapped around his shoulders. His hair was a wet mess across his forehead and eyes, and his swim trunks hung low on his hips, accentuating the V cut of his lower abdomen.

"No," Parker and I said at the same time.

He chuckled, coming to kiss my forehead. "It's settled then," he said, moving to kiss Parker's cheek. "I'm taken by the two prettiest girls I know."

Parker and I shared a look and a grin. She giggled.

"Hey, Aunt Leah, Uncle Caden. What brings you two up here?" he asked as his sister and the others joined us. Brayden was scrubbing his head with a towel while Jules wrung out her hair, dripping the water on his feet. He gave her a look while she grinned up at him mischievously.

Leah smiled. "Just wanted to come wish you a happy birthday, just like everyone else."

Will hugged her. "Thanks."

She pulled back to give him a look. "You're not letting my kid drink, are you?"

He laughed. "Of course not."

While they talked, I looked at Caden, who was still staring at me. Instead of staring back like I wanted to, I turned to Parker and smiled. "So was it fun?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I was nervous at first, but it was totally awesome."

"I'm nervous, too. But hey, after my first jump with him, do you wanna go the three of us?"

Her face lit up. "Really?"

Reaching up, I stroked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. "Sure, why not?"

"Yay!" Reaching out, she hugged me around the neck and kissed my cheek. "You're the best!"

Her words affected me more than they should, but I fought not to show it. It helped when Will wrapped his arm around my waist.

He put his lips to my ear. "You wanna jump?"

I nodded. "I promised Parker a jump with just the three of us after my first one with you."

"Well, shall we? Let's not keep the poor girl waiting. She'll drive everyone nuts."

Ten minutes later, I'd stripped down to my shorts and bikini top. Will had stared at me for a full five minutes before I snapped my fingers in front of his face. His stare had surprisingly warmed my body. Nobody, not even Melice, had looked at me with so much heat in his eyes. Will had apologized profusely for staring, but I laughed it off. It was a compliment and I took it as such. Now, he took my hand and smiled over at me.

I leaned over to look down at the water.

He chuckled. "It's calm today so don't worry about hitting the rocks. Besides, I'll be with you the whole time. I've don't this a lot. Granted, this is only my second time as a wolf, but I think even with what little experience I have, I can qualify. Okay? Trust me?"

Well that was a loaded question, but I decided to answer it for the moment. "If Parker and the others survived under your care, then yeah, I trust you."

Grinning, he lifted my hand to his lips. "Good. Something tells me you don't trust easy, so I'll take that little bit as a compliment."

It amazed and scared me how well he could read that about me. I didn't trust anybody. But I was slowly starting to trust him. Going up on my toes, I kissed the corner of his mouth. "Shall we?"

"Count of three."

He counted and, together, hand in hand, we jumped from the cliff with me trusting him the whole time.

The fall was both long and short at the same time. Will kept hold of my hand all the way until we hit the water. It was nice and cold as it enveloped me. I came up laughing, gasping for air. The jump was a complete rush. Calming down, I waited for Will to surface. After a moment, I started to get worried…until I felt a pair of hands grip my waist. Coming up out of the water, he pushed me up and threw me. Laughing, I managed to hold my breath before I went under. When I came back up, I gripped his shoulders and used them as leverage to dunk him. He came back up laughing and pulled me close.

"So? How was it?"

I couldn't help the stupid grin. "Exhilarating!" And then I kissed him. At first it was just a hard crush of lips, but soon it turned deeper, more meaningful. His hands tightened on the bare skin of my waist as I wrapped my legs around hips. Major points for him when he didn't grope my ass when he moved his hands to my thighs.

And then a wave moved over us, forcing us apart. Here in the water, it was intimate and close. Breathing heavy, we floated there in the water just staring at each other. And I wondered what the hell was happening to me. How was he affecting me like this? In so little time?

Reaching up, he stroked my hair away from my face. "I'm glad you trusted me."

"Me, too." And I actually meant it. Which still surprised me.

Grinning again, he said, "What do you say we go get Parker?"

"Sounds like a plan."

We broke apart and together we swam to the shore to go get Parker.

**A Week Later…The Next Weekend**

**WillPOV**

The past week had been very nearly perfect. Hunter was becoming more comfortable being around my friends and family. Piper had calmed her attitude and Jules had become a constant companion. Parker had made us swear to a couple dates with her and also wanted to hang out with Hunter on her own. Mom had even invited Hunter over for dinner a couple times.

The down side? One, Dad had stared holes in my head, no doubt wondering if I'd indeed imprinted. Not to mention, Chief Yates had practically ripped me a new one after he'd pulled me out of government to interrogate me about Hunter. My hackles raised the moment he mentioned her. I'd told him that nothing had changed. I still hadn't killed the kid. Hunter and I had barely been together, even now. Maybe a week and a half or so. She'd been worried when I'd gone back into class practically fuming.

But the week was over and now Hunter and I were on our way into Port Angeles for my belated birthday dinner from her. Her hand was warm in mine over the console in her Jeep. I was driving us into town while she talked about school and the pack. She kept asking questions about members and who was related to who. Not able to help myself, I finally told her the differences between us and the Children of the Moon. Surprisingly, she didn't freak out, just kept asking questions.

"So where do you think your dad's taking you tomorrow?"

"No idea. He said that he figured out what he was getting me for my birthday but that I had to go with him. Mom said a father/son outing of some sort."

"Well that sounds fun. You'll have to keep me updated."

"Of course." I brought her knuckles to my lips before parallel parking in front of the restaurant. This place had been a dating haven for my family since my grandparents first got together. It was their first date. Well, unofficial date.

We made it in and managed a secluded booth in the back. Our waitress was one I'd had before. She was older so I didn't have to worry about her hitting on me, which was refreshing. She took our drink orders and left us with the menus. Hunter was in her seat, looking around, taking in the environment.

"This place is so cute," she said happily.

"One of my favorite places. It's sort of been in my family for years. My grandparents started here."

"Really?"

"Really.

Looking around to see if anybody was listening, she leaned in. "Don't they get recognized? I mean, since they're…you know?"

I shrugged. "They don't come out here anymore because of that. Besides, they're…you know. No solid diet, remember?"

She made a face. "Right. Sorry."

I laughed. "It's alright. My parents still come out here though. Eventually, they'll have to stop, too."

"Why?"

My turn to look around and lean in. "Because they don't age, either. Haven't you noticed that they still look like they're twenty-something? I mean, I could be my dad's brother. Which is kind of creepy now that I think about it."

She laughed. "Well, anyone who knows you sees that you're father and son. Your dad loves you. Hell, your whole family loves you."

That last was touched with sadness and loneliness.

Reaching across the table, I took her hand. "Hunter, you're not alone."

She scoffed and wouldn't meet my eyes.

The waitress came back with our drinks.

I squeezed her hand. "Hey, look at me." It took a moment, but eventually she did as I asked. "Listen to me, I can't say that I love you. At least…not yet. But you're not alone. You need anything from me, and I'll be there. I swear it. You're a hit with my parents. Jules is coming around. And the twins are thrilled to have a real challenge at video games. I know that whatever this is that we have hasn't been on that long, but I'm comfortable with you. You don't treat me like the other girls do. I'm not some rich kid to be drooled over to you. Do you really not know how much that means to me? Even only after a week and a half or whatever?"

She gripped my hand and studied my face. "You _are_ hot," she said, breaking the moment.

I laughed. "Well, thanks, I guess. You can thank my parents for that."

"I don't think that would be a good idea. Could you imagine your mom's face?"

We both laughed at that mental image.

"That's true."

She took my hands in both of hers. "Can I ask you a question?"

I quirked an eyebrow. "Another one?"

She looked away sheepishly. "Sorry. I guess I have been annoying."

"No," I said quickly. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that one more couldn't hurt."

The waitress came back. "What can I get for the two of you?"

Neither of us had looked at the menu.

"Uh," I said before looking at my date. "You like steak?"

She smiled. "Love it."

I looked up at the waitress. "Two good cuts of meat. Rare for me."

"Likewise. Thank you."

The woman smiled kindly. "Sides?"

Hunter looked at her menu. "I've never been here. What's good?"

"Garlic mashed potatoes," the waitress and I said at the same time before laughing.

Hunter chuckled. "Sounds good all around."

The waitress, whose name I just now remembered as Macy, grinned. "Coming right up."

"Thanks, Macy."

After taking our menus, she gave me a surprised look and gently slapped me with them. "You remembered."

"Of course. I'm in here all the time, and you've served us a few times."

She practically beamed. "And I remember you. You look just like your father." She waved her ticket book. "Let me go get these orders in for you."

"Thank you." Once she left, I turned back to Hunter. "So back to your question. Shoot."

"Right." She leaned forward again. "So, I don't know how to really say this or exactly what my question is. It's more of what I heard."

"Okay," I said cautiously.

"Last weekend, at your party bonfire, I was talking to Jules on the way to your house. She told me some things about the wolves, about relationships and how they move fast. She asked me that if I wasn't serious about being with you, if I wasn't planning on something long term, to end it now because the wolves have certain instincts when it comes to mates. When they have an instinct about someone, it tends to go hard and fast. The relationship, I mean. Like, I think she said insta-attraction. That's the instinct, and the wolves tend to not question it. Embry agreed with what she said when I ran it past him. Jules said that because you have that attraction to me that you could be in it for the long haul, and if I'm not, I should back out so I don't hurt you."

Holy shit. We were perilously close to imprint conversation. And I wasn't ready for it. Clearing my throat, I gripped her hands again. "Uh, yeah. They're right. That…that instinct, we don't question it. I would say that it's like love at first sight, it's that feeling of kinship, of being able to relate to that person. But it's not love, exactly. Just a fondness. You know that feeling that you get at the beginning of a relationship that you always want to be with that person, and then that point that you realize it's turning into something else, that new level of excitement?"

She swallowed hard. "I've never felt it, but I've heard about it."

I smiled a little. "Me, too. I heard about it from my parents. But that point, that new level, that's what you feel when you meet that person. When that instinct hits you. You just want to be there for that person."

Now she looked at me as if I were a different person, a pleasantly different person. "That's what you feel for me?"

"Not when we first met, back in April. I can tell you exactly when it did start."

"When?" Now she was on the edge of her seat.

"The day I let you borrow my calculator. Remember how I just ran off after I gave it to you?" She nodded. "That was the first time I saw you after I first phased. The first day I phased was the day I had that episode in the cafeteria, the day I hit Ash. The day I yelled at you." I knew the guilt coated my tone. I just couldn't help it. The fact that I punched Ash still bothered me as well as me yelling at her.

Her fingers played over my knuckles and wrists. "Will, stop beating yourself up over that. I forgave you, and I know Ash did, too. He adores you. And I have come to really like you, Will. A lot more than I should for the short time we've been on speaking terms. I'm strangely comfortable around you, too. And if it bothers you, we don't have to talk about it anymore. Alright?"

I studied her. "So, knowing what you do and that it's true, you're not backing out?"

She gave me direct eye contact when she shook her head. "No. I won't. Since I've met you, I've known kindness and…fun. My adoptive parents kept me on a tight leash. They couldn't have their own so they were very over-protective. They never would have let me go to an all weekend bonfire or cliff jump. Or hell, go off after school to a diner with a boy."

I laughed and reached up to brush her hair back. "Well, then, I guess you're welcome. Does that mean you'll stick around after senior year?"

Her grin was playful. "It's becoming more and more of a possibility. Granted, this place doesn't get much sunshine." We both laughed. "However, I think I might be able to work around that."

"More trips to California?"

She shrugged. "And with a tall, hot werewolf for protection?"

"Of course. Didn't even have to ask."

Leaning over the table, she pressed her chocolate-strawberry lips to mine.

Not a minute later, Macy came up with our steaks. We spent the rest of the time eating and lightening up with playful conversation. Hunter twined her legs with mine, foot rubbing up and down my leg. We shared a couple slices of apple pie for dessert. I paid for the meal much to Hunter's irritation. She complained that it was supposed to be my birthday dinner from her, but Macy and I ignored her protests. And after dessert, we stayed and talked about absolutely nothing. She was still full of questions. A couple hours later, Macy told us it was closing time, so I drove us back through Forks, past my house, and to the rez. It was dark outside Hunter's house. She'd forgotten to turn on the porch light.

We walked hand in hand to her front door.

"So," she said, swinging my hand. "Even though it was supposed to be my present for you, thank you for the steak. It was, in fact, delicious."

"Mmm, you're very welcome. And the present for me was spending time with you without anybody we know watching us, or pretending like they're not watching us."

I loved her laugh, especially when it wasn't guarded. She had a tendency to hide what she found amusing. It was a mystery why.

"Yeah, I suppose that was nice. Well, I guess you need to get home before they send a search party out after you. Not to mention you should get some sleep before your father/son date."

I choked out a laugh. "Yeah, that is true. But first-," Cupping her face, I brought her mouth to mine. It was slow and warm, full of everything I couldn't yet say, couldn't tell her about our connection.

When we pulled apart, she licked her lips, eyes still closed. She nodded. "I think that is definitely worth staying for."

I pressed another chaste kiss to her lips. "Go get some sleep. I'll text you tomorrow."

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "Good night, William Black."

"Good night. Lock up when I leave, alright?"

"Of course."

I watched as she unlocked the door and went inside. I didn't head for the woods until I heard the bolt slide home on her front door. Not surprisingly, Brayden stepped out of the woods in a pair of ratty cut-offs.

"Hot date?" he asked smugly.

"You have eyes. You know she's hot."

He made a face. "Eh, you know I got eyes for only one girl."

I punched his arm. "Yeah, and that's my sister you're talking about. Speaking of, you guys are back on speaking terms?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. We had a little chat."

"Did you tell her?"

His silence was answer enough.

"Dude, I swear…what are you waiting for?"

He sighed. "You know what she wants. Finish out high school, online college. Maybe move away to actually go to college. She wants so much for herself."

"Yeah and?"

"A relationship would hurt that."

Speeding up, I got in front of him and turned around to face him. "Brayden, are you listening to yourself? Do you really think that her not knowing that she's your soul mate will help her in long run? I mean, even if she phases, are you planning on telling her? You'd better because you know she'll imprint on you. And when she does, she'll know you were hiding from her. Either way, it's a lose-lose for _both_ of you."

Getting frustrated, he growled a little. "And I don't see you making a bee line to tell Hunter."

"And you know why," I said in a warning tone. "Brayden, she's new here and she's human. Despite what little she knows about the pack, she doesn't know about that. She and I have only been together a couple weeks. I can't unload all that crap onto her. She's just now getting used to the fact that someone cares, at least a little, about her. Jules is a different story and you know it. Your reason isn't good enough, not for her. I'm sorry, Brayden, but it's not. In doing for herself, she'd want her soul mate, her imprint, by her side, sharing it with you. Why can't you understand that?"

Putting his hands on his hips, he looked up at cloudy night sky. "I'll tell her. Okay? Does that make you happy? I'll tell her. Just give me a week or two."

"Two weeks. I can live with that. And I know I'll tell Hunter. Just not that soon, alright?"

He held out his hand. I gripped his forearm. "Deal."

"Alright, let's get home before our parents have aneurysms, shall we?"

Side by side with my best friend, I walked home, wondering if things ever worked out the way we planned.

**HunterPOV**

After Will left and the house was locked up, I just laid there on the bed staring up at the ceiling. What the hell was going on with me? Two weeks. Two measly weeks and I was being a girly-girl, gushing over how he and his family treated me. I hadn't seen Melice since that night I'd found out about the murder, and honestly, I hadn't really thought about my future mate. I was more about having fun and enjoying my time with likeable people. Which wasn't what I was supposed to be doing here. I was here for revenge for my family. It was all I could think about since I'd been told the story and then been trained to fight.

Rolling over, I looked to the picture I kept on my bedside table. The only thing I really had to connect me to my lost family. And then I started to think about what my mother would want. Would she really want me doing this? Plotting to kill another person? Every time I'd killed, it was in self-defense. Here, I was getting close to the man who killed her. He didn't seem like a killer. He helped guide the young here, had young of his own. Could I really rip a father away from his family the way my family had been ripped away from me?

Surprisingly, the answer was yes. Gritting my teeth and swallowing hard, I reached out to stroke the picture. An eye for an eye. I had to suffer so why shouldn't they? Did they even know what he'd done? I guessed not from the way they all looked up to him, went to him for counsel.

But what about Will? And Melice?

Two completely different males, and yet one of them was quickly claiming me. What would Melice do if I told him to leave me here? To let me be? That was if Will could accept the fact that I'd be killing one of his lifetime friends, a member of his extended family. Could I really have a life here if I made the death look like an accident? But the way Will had talked about his pull to me earlier tonight…it seemed so much like he was talking about true mates. I'd heard and seen the pull work its magic. Was that what was happening with us? Was that why I was so drawn to him? I felt that same ache, even now, to be with him. Two nights spent beside him in the tent had been amazing and safe. I'd never admit out loud that those two nights had been the best sleep of my life. And I wanted that all the time. Being here alone in this bed was uncomfortable and cold even though I didn't get cold anymore. Will was a true shining soul. Somehow he could see through the bullshit, right down to the fact that I don't trust anyone. But that was changing. He was showing me that there are people in this world who are worth it. And he was one of them. Only two weeks and I was ready to do anything for him. I'd been firm in my belief that the man who killed my family should be slaughtered. Now, here I was on the fence about it. Debating with myself where doubt had never been before. Not even for a second. I'd even thought about the fact that he might have a family of his own and it hadn't stopped me from seething with rage and wanting his blood to run free. Now? I was starting to see what everyone else saw. An orphaned eighteen year old girl in need of a little TLC instead of a cold-blooded assassin. The question was, is that what I want to be? A normal girl? Well, kind of normal. I was still a Child, but there wasn't a pack too far away. Walker's pack. Could I let go of my grudge and settle here?

Again, I looked at the photo. And a boiling rage started inside again. A rage at the fact that I couldn't have my family, a mother's loving touch or a father's protective blanket. Why should his young get what I can't have? Looking back over my eighteen years, I remembered all the fights to stay alive, never trusting anyone. Training to know how to kill. Shifting faster than most. No. I'd get my vengeance. I had to. It's what had driven me my entire life, and giving it up now was foolish. Maybe, after the deed was done, I could still get free of Melice. That would make me an omega and anybody's meat, but I could handle myself. But I knew for certain that I'd have to leave here…and Will. Something inside me clenched with the thought. I'd foolishly told him tonight that I wouldn't back out of being with him. What would happen if I stayed even longer, encouraged an attachment, and then just up and vanished after a mentor of his was brutally murdered? He'd know it was me, and he'd never forgive me. Even if I stayed after the murder, made it look like an accident…they weren't stupid here. They'd somehow figure it out. Then what would happen to me? Would Will be forced to deal with me, to kill me? Could he do it?

Why did I suddenly care about Will? He was supposed to be my doorway into the community, to get close to my target. Getting close was a huge obstacle. I needed to know my target. How he functioned. What his schedule was. His weaknesses. I was getting there, but I needed more time. It wasn't just a game like I'd told Melice. He hadn't been trained the same way I had. He'd been groomed to take over the pack. The pack leader wasn't an assassin. His enforcers were. And that elite group of fighters was by whom I'd been trained. Melice knew how to fight, but I was fairly confident I could kill him myself. It would definitely save the world some trouble. He was a sociopathic serial killer. Born to the Children, he had no regard for human life. I was a born Child as well, but for some reason, I wasn't soulless the way he was. Apparently, I was one of those women who hoped she could change a man. I'd been promised to Melice since I'd been sent to live with his father's pack when I'd barely been a week old, so I'd grown up with him. I did my best to understand him, to get him to steer onto a less dark path. Clearly my influence hadn't worked. Like Will, Mel was a momma's boy, and his mother was nothing short of Satan in female form. She'd slaughtered every one of her mate's illegitimate young not long after they were born, right in front of their mothers. That was only one of her sins, but I never crossed that female. She wasn't fond of me, thought I was too soft. But Mel's father believed his son needed a little softness. After all, Mel's mother had only one sensitive spot: her mate. They were true mates. Everything feminine and soft was reserved for him and him alone. Nothing had been saved for her son, which was why he was as ruthless as she was. However, I knew that I wasn't Mel's weakness. We weren't true mates. That much was evident in the way I'd started feeling about Will.

Growling in frustration, I returned to my back and staring at the ceiling. Unfortunately, I fell asleep wishing Will was here beside me, his arms wrapped around me.

**The Next Morning**

**JPOV**

My son was up early on a weekend day, ready to head out by nine in the morning. Nope, he wasn't excited at all.

Grabbing an apple, he kissed his mother on the temple before sitting at the table. "So, Pops, where are we going?"

I gave him a look over my mug. "Remember the last time you called me that and I joked about grounding you?" He grinned. "Next time I won't be joking."

Nessie, trying not to laugh, snorted into her glass.

I rolled my eyes.

Still smiling, Will said, "Seriously, though, Dad, where are we going?"

Shaking my head, I put the mug down. "Not telling you. But you'll figure it out."

"Whatever," he said before taking a bite of the apple.

After Ness got a hold of herself, she patted his arm. "So, how'd your date go last night?"

He nodded. "Good. Macy waited on us last night." He looked at me. "She said I look just like you."

"It's true," Ness agreed.

"Anyway," Will went on. "Hunter is incredible. She's been through so much. I just wish she didn't have to live alone like that."

While he talked with his mother about his girlfriend, I studied him, the way he talked about her. I was fairly certain he'd imprinted. And I was very close to ordering him to tell me the truth. But if he hadn't told me already, it meant he had a reason. I knew the kids had suspicions about her still. Piper was more civil, but I could see the looks my niece threw at the new girl, and it wasn't just because of the crush. Jules was friendlier, but I could see the wariness in my daughter. Maybe I could ask him in the truck. He might be more inclined to tell me with nobody else around.

Jules came down a few minutes later, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Her coppers hair was in frizzy braids. She frowned at Will. "What is wrong with you?"

Laughing, he tugged affectionately on one of her braids when she slumped next to him in a chair. "Dad and I are going into town for some mysterious father/son thing. Figured we could get an early start."

She yawned. "Freak."

"Takes one to know one."

She sneered at him before resting her head on his shoulder. Ness and I shared a smile. It was so nice to know that our kids loved each other, that they protected each other. It's what we'd always wanted, how we raised them.

He kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm around her. "What are you doing up?"

"The twins are up and decided to have a gaming marathon."

The three of us shared the same expression. "Ah."

"It seems they're trying to figure out who the best is behind Hunter."

Will chuckled proudly. "Yeah well, living alone, she's gotta find something to do."

Under the table, I kicked his boot. "Shall we?"

Stretching he stood up and kissed both his sister and his mother on their heads.

An hour later, we were close to Port Angeles. We talked about the pack and what was being done to make sure that what happened to Chad wouldn't happen again. We'd upped the patrols and so far nothing had come across the radar. No scents or tracks of anything bigger than a mountain lion. Will was worried about Hunter because of where her place was situated. He'd told her no more walking to school. If she went outside, it was to get straight in her car. I couldn't say I disagreed. I was all for putting a curfew on the rez but this time, the good chief didn't agree with me since no other incidents had happened since the kid's death. Being who I was, I could force the issue. However, I didn't want to have bad ties with the chief. It wouldn't help any future dealings between us.

"Son?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to talk about Hunter."

He turned toward me, a wary look in his gaze. He knew what I was about to ask him. "What about her?"

"I think you know, Will. Did you imprint on her?"

For a moment, all he did was stare at me before looking out the window as I drove through town. "Is that an order to tell you?"

I cleared my throat. "You'd know if it was. But no, you don't have to. If you're keeping something like that from me, from the pack, then I know you have a good reason. I just thought I'd ask. If you did, it's a big thing, and I figured you might have some questions."

He sighed. "Honestly, it wouldn't make a difference about our suspicions about her if I did."

"True. But there could be a different way to go at things." I looked over at him, but he was still staring out the window. "It's just a thought. You don't have to say anything. Imprinting is a very personal, intimate thing, especially if the other person doesn't know about it. I would know. I've been there. I'm just letting you know that you can come to me. And it will stay between us. Mom doesn't have to know." I loved Ness and we'd vowed not to keep secrets from each other, but when it came to our kids, confidences meant everything. It meant trust. And we both wanted our kids to trust us.

For a while, he stayed quiet. I knew the set of his shoulders. It meant he was weighing his options, trying to figure out what to say. I left him to his thoughts and continued to drive through town until I found what I was looking for.

"Yes," he finally said quietly after about five minutes. "I did imprint on her."

Even though I'd suspected, it was still a punch to the gut to hear it confirmed. My son had found his soul mate and we were all suspicious of her. It still struck me as odd that she didn't have a scent. Everybody had one. So that meant she was hiding it. Which connected her to whatever killed Chad. I didn't know how, but I had a feeling it would play out if we gave it enough time.

But I just kept calm and nodded. "Okay. You wanna talk about it?"

He gave a bitter laugh. "It seems that's all I'm doing. At first all I wanted was to keep it a secret until we forgot that we suspected her of something, and here I am spilling to everyone."

"Everyone?"

"Jules, the twins, and Brayden know."

I frowned. "Your siblings, I get. It's hard to keep that kind of secret when you're close and you live together. But Brayden?"

His expression told me that he'd said too much. But he caved. "You can't say anything. He'll kill me."

I held up my hands. "I swear it. I might be alpha and do what's good for the pack, but I'm your father first. What's said between us, stays between us."

Sighing heavily, he thumped his head on the window. "He's kind of in the same boat."

That shot my eyebrows to my hairline. "He imprinted?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I won't tell you who even though it's really not hard to guess. But she doesn't know. He won't tell her. Which is stupid. We made a deal though. He promised he'd tell her within two weeks. I promised that I'd eventually tell Hunter, but not any time too soon because she's not one of us. She's human so I figure she needs a little more time to get used to the rez and hanging around the pack."

"Sounds reasonable. Let me guess…Jules?"

His silence was answer enough. Great. So my daughter lived next door to her soul mate. Will was right. Brayden needed to tell her because if she phased before he did? Whew. That is one shit storm that nobody needed. Jules's temper rivaled her mother's. Nessie's reaction of me keeping my imprint from her was nothing compared to what Jules would do to Brayden if she phased and imprinted on him before he told her of his own imprint. She'd have the power and strength to rip him a new one. Not to mention that the fact he hadn't told her pissed me off. She loved him already without the imprint. Why couldn't he see it was killing her to know he was keeping something from her? And she was guessing it was the imprint. Seeing her hurting revved up my paternal instincts to squash him like a bug.

"Dad, you can't say anything. Not to Jules or Brayden. Or anyone else." Will's voice was telling me to calm down.

That was when I realized I was growling. Stopping myself, I gritted out, "I know, I know."

Will shook his head. "Trust me, I don't like the fact that she cries over him any more than you do. She's my little sister. I want to beat the crap out of him on principle."

That broke the tension and made me laugh. "You are definitely my son."

He chuckled as I turned into the car lot. The chuckle cut off. "Dad?"

"Happy birthday."

"No way!" His expression was priceless. "Are you serious?"

"Pick whatever you want. If there's nothing here, we can hop to the next one. But Mom said you liked your uncle's Jeep."

Grinning, he hopped out of the truck. "Hell yeah."

Chuckling, I followed as a salesman walked out to meet us. I'd called yesterday to let them know we were coming out to possibly buy. He walked up to me, hand outstretched. "Mr. Black."

"Mr. Talbot, good to see you again. Changed dealerships, huh?"

He shrugged. "Tough times." He motioned to Will. "I take it this is your son?"

I nodded. "Will."

They shook hands.

"So what are you looking for, Will?"

My son just shook his head, still in disbelief. "Honestly, I have no idea. I haven't really thought about it. This is a surprise for me. A huge one. My uncle has a Wrangler, and my girlfriend has a Liberty."

Talbot nodded. "Jeeps are good around here. Very popular with the younger crowds. Used mostly, but I'm suspecting you and your dad will be buying new."

Will looked to me and I nodded. I'd taught my son how to drive and I trusted him to be careful. Anybody who rode with him was precious to him. He wouldn't be reckless. Besides, if he did crash it, Edward would just buy him a new one.

Talbot and Will started walking and talking. I just followed.

"You mentioned the Wrangler and Liberty. Which one did you like the best? Of course we have other models, too."

"I was leaning toward the Wrangler since I know how it handles. We live out past Forks, so we're in the woods a lot."

Talbot nodded. "Well we have the original and the unlimited. I guess it would depend on how many doors you want."

An hour later, we never had to leave the lot. Will was fond of the black Wrangler Unlimited. He said that it seemed sturdier than the original after we test drove it. Of course the safety features were the first thing he looked at. We'd just finished signing all the paperwork and paying for it. Talbot, who had sold us the truck and the two SUVs, didn't bat an eye when I paid in full.

It was a precious moment when Talbot came back with the keys.

He held them over Will's upturned palm. "She's all yours, kid." And dropped them.

Will practically ran to his new baby. Laughing, I shook hands with the salesman. "Thanks for your help. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again. I do have three other kids."

He gripped my hand. "Call me whenever. If I can't help ya out, I'll find someone who can."

"Thanks." Leaving him inside, I went to the driver's side of the Jeep. "Got a fresh tank of gas. You ready to drive her home?"

My son's grin took up his whole face. "Thank you, Dad. So much. This is…freaking awesome. I hope that whenever I have kids, if I do, that I'm half as cool as you."

Laughing, I clapped his shoulder through the window. "You'll be terrified at first, but I'm sure you will be." Then I got stern. "But not for a long time. Don't make me a grandpa any time soon. I'll have to hurt you."

He laughed. "Deal."

"Come on, let's get home. I'm starving. And you have a car to show off."

I started to walk off when he called me back.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"You and Mom were talking about selling the Tahoe, right?"

I frowned. "Yeah. What about it?"

"Well, I was thinking. Maybe we can let Jenny borrow it. You know she doesn't like to ask for help, and last weekend, she walked up to the bonfire on her way to see Carlisle. She shouldn't be walking the woods, not even the road, right now. Brayden drove her the rest of the way, but it still made me uneasy that she was walking. And she walks to school. I mean with whatever's in the woods plus Chad's drug thugs…" he shook his head.

Understanding where he was coming from, I nodded. "I'll talk to Mom. You've got a good point."

"She'd have to get her license, but that shouldn't be too hard. I think she's seventeen or eighteen."

"Alright. Yeah. Like I said, I'll talk to Mom about it."

"Thanks. And Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. Really. For the car. It's great. I love it."

Trying to remain manly, I swallowed and said, "You earned it, son. You've done exceptionally well with the phasing. Keeping up with school even with a girlfriend and everything that's been going on. I'm proud of you. And so is Mom. We both thought you deserved this."

He grinned and went back to tinkering with his new toy. I left him at it. The first drive is always a bonding moment between man and machine. Hopping into my truck, I watched as he drove off the lot before calling his mother.

**WillPOV**

Dad pulled into the driveway right after I did. He'd followed me all the way home. Everybody spilled out of the house at the same time that I got out of the car. Jules squealed and jumped off the porch only to launch herself at me.

"This is so cool! The top comes off, right?"

I chuckled, hugging her back. "Yeah."

"Can I sit in it?"

"No," I said sarcastically. "You are never allowed to step one foot inside my car." Laughing, I shoved her toward it. "Go for it, sis."

Ash and Dox came to stand next to me while Jules climbed into the driver's seat.

"Badass," Dox said. "Uncle Emmett's gonna be jealous."

Ash clapped me on the back. "I knew you'd pick the Jeep. You've been in love with it since forever. She is beautiful, though."

Mom and Dad moved around to stand with us.

"Daddy," Jules said in her sweet, innocent voice. "I want one!"

He chuckled. "Senior year, we'll talk."

"Yes!" She fist-pumped.

We all laughed while Mom came up to hug me. She kissed my cheek. "Happy belated birthday, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Mom. Really. Like I told Dad, this is amazing. You guys didn't have to."

"No, we didn't. But you've made us really proud to call you our son. You deserve more than this. All four of you do. But it's not their eighteenth birthdays yet."

Hugging her tight, I kissed the top of her head. Man, I loved my mother.

She pulled back a little. "Oh and Dad called me about the Tahoe. I think that is a wonderful and generous idea. How about I take it down to her tomorrow after school? A little woman to woman, mom to soon-to-be mom deal."

Grinning down at her, I hugged her again. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best."

She winked at me. "I know."

Once Jules climbed out, the twins each had to have a turn to sit behind the wheel.

"How does she handle?" Jules asked.

"For me? Better than the original. I just like that it has four doors."

She nodded. "Yeah, it feels better to me, too. Does Hunter know?"

I shook my head. "Nope. Came straight home because I know you, Ash, and Dox would have killed me."

Maddox punched my shoulder. "You have no idea."

Mom reached up to pat my cheek. "Well why don't you go pick her up and bring her up for dinner? I have extra chicken I need to fix."

"Yeah, and Ash and I have been practicing our gaming skills. Time to test them out." Maddox nodded, sure of himself, and cracked his knuckles.

Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes before meeting Dad's stare. Telling him about Hunter hadn't been on my agenda until I'd figured out what was up with her. But of course, I was his son. He knew me better than I thought he did. He knew the pressures of being a young alpha and imprinting on someone who wouldn't understand what that meant until the time was right. Over Mom's head, he nodded just slightly, reminding me of his promise to keep what we'd talked about between us. Between two alpha males leading the same pack.

Taking a deep breath, I kissed Mom's cheek one more time before hopping into my new car. On my way into the rez, I called Hunter.

"There you are," she said in greeting.

"Hey."

"I was beginning to think you'd lost my number or something."

I laughed. "Don't be like that. I have a surprise."

"For me?"

"Technically for me, but since you're in the picture, both of us can use it."

In the background, water turned on and there was a clatter, like she was washing the dishes. "Really now?"

"Mhm."

"And when am I going to be seeing this surprise?"

"Go stand on your porch," I said as I pulled into her driveway.

She made a suspicious hum before the water turned off. A moment later, I heard the locks slide on her front door and then the door itself creak open. "Okay. I'm out here. What am I looking for?"

Chuckling, I said, "Hold your horses, you impatient woman." And then I pulled around the bend in the drive.

She was standing there in her shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. Her mouth dropped open as she turned toward the sound of tires on the dirt. "Holy shit," I heard her say before she hung up.

Laughing, I pulled up to the porch and hopped out.

She just kept staring. "A _car_? That was the father/son date? They got you a car?"

"I know, right? I totally wasn't expecting it. I mean, we have the truck and two SUVs. But Dad let me pick whatever I wanted."

Suddenly, she looked at me very seriously. "Can I sit in it?"

A burst laughter came out of my throat. "You sound just like Jules." I motioned toward it. "Go ahead."

After pecking my lips, she hopped up inside. "It's like the male version of my car."

Grinning, I leaned in the window. "Awesome, isn't it?"

"Uh yeah." Leaning over, she really kissed me. "Now you can pick me up for school."

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh I can, can I?"

She gave me an innocent, pouty look. "Isn't that what boyfriends do?"

Tugging a lock of her hair, I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I suppose it is what we do."

She grinned.

"Come here."

We met in the middle for a soft kiss.

"Why don't you go get dressed? Mom invited you up for dinner and the twins are dying to get crushed by you on the game front."

Pecking me with another kiss, she hopped out and skipped into the house, leaving the door open behind her. Shaking my head, I locked the car before following inside. She was working on killing the fire.

"Go get dressed. I'll do that."

She grinned up at me. "Hero." And then she took off down the hallway.

Looking around, I could see that she was settling in more. The first time I'd come here I hadn't seen any knickknacks. But over the past week, more and more stuff started popping up. Picture frames featuring people I'd never seen before. But there was also me, Parker, even Piper made an appearance. Parker and I were the front-runners though. The house was now homey, warmer.

As I bent down to finish putting the fire out, I prayed that her settling in was a good sign.

* * *

**So no huge drama, but I promise there will be some. Many of you are going to explode my reviews and PM about Hunter. At least I wrote this thinking you would. If not, hey, I was wrong. I really missed you guys something fierce! Please review and let me know how much you hate me for abandoning you or about the chapter. Either works. Love y'all! xoxoxoxo**


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